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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I think it is good to have a hobby or develop a passion for something. It gives you a goal to improve - doesn’t have to be of a competitive nature in the sense of “are you going to make varsity in high school or become a college athlete?” It also doesn’t need to be a sport, it could be art, music, theater, etc. If the goal is to have a shot at being a pro, then yes, sacrifices need to be made. But it requires some innate talent to make it to that level, so the “pushing” is useless without that factor.

A focus on academics is good, that’s not up for debate. But school should not be consuming a child’s entire life. I honestly don’t think it matters if you’re top 1% or top 10% or even top 20. If a student is not too picky on their college choice, they’ll get in somewhere.

Those students at the top who are aiming for the elite colleges will need to demonstrate some involvement with outside activities anyway, so sitting inside the house and studying at all hours isn’t going to cut it anymore.

As far as playing or doing other things, who says you can’t do that if you have an activity? Is sports taking up 5 days a week afterschool and the entire day on Saturdays and Sundays every single week from sunrise to sundown?

I think kids should be encouraged to try different activities, not just sports, and see if there is something they want to do and improve at. I remember the theater kids in my high school were very passionate about it, and they had a lot of confidence/great public speaking skills. It wasn’t my thing so I never cared about it back then but looking back, they were very impressive. They can memorize a ton of lines, act, sing and dance. Did any become “famous?” No. But that wasn’t the point. I think they enjoyed their time doing stuff they love. And the skills they learned were very useful on a personal level regardless of the fact that none made it to become a professional actor.

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I don't think exposing kids to sports and other activities is a bad thing. Hopefully, they're fun for the kids, as they should be. It gets to be a problem when it's forced or pushed to a level that the child doesn't want to do it at. And yes, you're right, these activities aren't 24/7, but many parents do come out and say they put their kids in activities to keep them busy. So, the argument that they don't have time for other things isn't a stretch.[/quote]

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