I get what you are saying. I would restrict the video games to weekends only and tell them that they each need to pick a hobby to try. It’s about being an I retesting person and being able to learn to enjoy your leisure time. Suggest taking a woodworking class, a cooking class, trying parkour or ninja warrior, joining a book club for teens at a local book store. Not liking the activities you listed is fine. Not liking any activities is a problem that they need to address.

Anonymous wrote:Maybe you should try to find activities they like and not activities you think a certain income bracket should do.

Agree. Maybe the focus should be activities that are not video games, not just a certain set of activities. There are plenty of life-long activities they can start as teens.

Maybe you should try to find activities they like and not activities you think a certain income bracket should do.

I was wondering what a umc activity. I never heard of an activity that a person did only to be with people wealthier. Except for golf these are all enjoyed by middle class families. Even golf has public courses. Tennis has public course, all you bring is balls and rackets.

Have you ever taken them to public courts to bounce the ball around with rackets to see if they might like it? If they don’t want to immediately leave, sign them up for a small group lessons. You’ll find out if you like it or not. Skiing you can go for a weekend and try it out. They might like or or they might hate it. Piano is a common instrument to start with but maybe ask them what they might like, bass guitar? brass instrument?

What activities have you brought to that they enjoyed or hated? Just don’t pick an activity that you think only rich people do it. That’s pathetic.

I'm reminded that a friend told me her kid complained constantly about tennis lessons until he got to high school and wanted to be on a varsity sport. Only then was he grateful.

OP, don't feel too bad.

I did learn to ski young but there was a period between beginning of college and my early 30s where I only went once. My college friends and I never got around to it (no cars at school). When I moved to the DMV, didn't have work friends who knew how to ski. Eventually got back into it with my family, but the fact I knew how to ski had zero impact on my social life from 16-35.

I started to learn and gave up 3 instruments before the age of 12.

Only been golfing once and the people who golf at my company are the people I least would like to hang out with (Boomer grandpa execs). A few younger people like TopGolf but the women on my team didn't want to do it for a Christmas party because we really just wanted to have some good food and social chat. Competing and drinking get in the way of that.

OP, you tried. You never know who your kids will make friends with later and what those kids might like. You might eventually get a snowboarder out of it.

At least you gave them some exposure.

The sporty people I know at work all run marathons.

Oh, the horror! Your kids aren’t interested in creating networking opportunities or being club champion. You’ve clearly failed as a parent and they’re not even old enough to take the keys of your late-model Mercedes.

It’s time to face facts. Not only will they never get into HYP, they’ll never even attain UMC respectability. It’s time to help them cultivate hobbies that will help them make friends among the mouth-breathers they’re destined to rub elbows with. Instead of piano, skiing and golf, get them familiar with demolition derby, hunting and bass fishing. If you have girls, cheer, pageants and/or barrel racing are acceptable alternatives.

See you at Cabela’s!

Anonymous wrote:Why are you waiting to teach these things as teens? What activities did they do as young kids? My kids have learned everything you mentioned in elementary school so now as teens they enjoy them.

+1
I wanted to ski, so I took them to ski school while I skied. Now they ski with me. I also put them in tennis camps, sleep away summer camp, horse back riding lessons etc. My youngest complained at first, but by 7-9, depending on the activity, she decided she really enjoys these things. OP, you cannot reap what you don't sow.

Anonymous wrote:Why are you waiting to teach these things as teens? What activities did they do as young kids? My kids have learned everything you mentioned in elementary school so now as teens they enjoy them.

Op here. We did these activities starting when they were small. We begged, bribed, and forced them to come along. Now that they are older, I am listening to them when they tell me they hate golf and don’t want to go, or that they aren’t interested in skiing. It’s disappointing.

Take the video games away and they’ll love skiing.

No, I can't relate because we don't have video games in the house and screen time is severely restricted until 12th grade.

Think of all the money you are saving.

Why are you waiting to teach these things as teens? What activities did they do as young kids? My kids have learned everything you mentioned in elementary school so now as teens they enjoy them.

No, I cannot relate, OP. We tell our kids to get off the screens and get ready to go skiing. They come because they know they’ll lose their devices if they don’t. Once they start skiing, they forget about the video games and enjoy skiing.

I grew up middle class but had parents who provided me with opportunities to cultivate hobbies and activities that are typically considered UMC. I play tennis, ski, golf, played piano, etc.

I have two teen boys who are not interested in learning any of those things. We can’t go on ski trips because they don’t want to learn to ski or snowboard. They don’t want to do any of those activities as a family. All they want to do is play video games. I’m so disappointed that we’re trying to give them opportunities to learn to do things that may come in handy in the future and they don’t want any part of it. Can anyone else relate?