Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The parents whose parents were elite anything start early. The parents I know who were D1 athletes start playing sports with their kids as soon as they can kick a ball. DH was a tennis player. He started hitting with them at around age 4. Kids started clinics at age 5, played on tennis team by age 8 and then started tournaments at age 9. My two boys play tennis 5-6x per week.

Of course if your child is naturally talented, the kid could start later but the child would be at a disadvantage from the kids who started years earlier.

The kid may not even end with the first sport they started with but it is best to try earlier.

There are adults who are perfectly content just watching tv and not being active. The world is full of average or below average people.

Not in organized activities does not mean not active

Anonymous wrote:The parents whose parents were elite anything start early. The parents I know who were D1 athletes start playing sports with their kids as soon as they can kick a ball. DH was a tennis player. He started hitting with them at around age 4. Kids started clinics at age 5, played on tennis team by age 8 and then started tournaments at age 9. My two boys play tennis 5-6x per week.

Of course if your child is naturally talented, the kid could start later but the child would be at a disadvantage from the kids who started years earlier.

The kid may not even end with the first sport they started with but it is best to try earlier.

There are adults who are perfectly content just watching tv and not being active. The world is full of average or below average people.

Anonymous wrote:I think in kindergarten I’d only do activities if they asked. I would not force. Kindergarten is really overwhelming for a lot of kids. Not many of them need something outside of school.

1st grade is maybe encourage a bit more, but honestly it’s hardly required. What do your kids friends do? My oldest didn’t care about WHAT she did, but she was very interested in being with her friends.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son whined that it was cold and he didn’t want to ski at age 5. By age 9, he could ski better than my husband. He loves it, absolutely loves it.

My son played soccer and t ball in kindergarten and went on to play travel soccer. He tried tennis at age 6 and didn’t play much until age 8 when the pandemic hit. He is a tennis natural. He played often outside during the pandemic.

My son whines about swimming when he was 5. He complained about going to morning swim team practice. He passed the swim test at age 6, could swim laps and tread water for 2 minutes. He still does not love swimming but at least he can swim decently.

My son cried and was wimpy about learning to ride a bike at age 5. Now he rides his bike to his friends’ houses.

You have to push a little at this age. I have a friend who doesn’t like to force her kids to do anything. Her daughter plays no sports and has no activities. I don’t think this is anything to be proud of.

Why are no sports or organized activities anything to be proud of? I agree, kids shouldn't always be in front of a screen, but you can have a happy childhood and be a successful adult without activities.

It doesn’t have to be sports— could be music, art, karate, chess, etc. It’s one thing if you can’t afford it, but if you can, why wouldn’t you want your kids to do extracurriculars? It’s how they start to figure out their interests.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son whined that it was cold and he didn’t want to ski at age 5. By age 9, he could ski better than my husband. He loves it, absolutely loves it.

My son played soccer and t ball in kindergarten and went on to play travel soccer. He tried tennis at age 6 and didn’t play much until age 8 when the pandemic hit. He is a tennis natural. He played often outside during the pandemic.

My son whines about swimming when he was 5. He complained about going to morning swim team practice. He passed the swim test at age 6, could swim laps and tread water for 2 minutes. He still does not love swimming but at least he can swim decently.

My son cried and was wimpy about learning to ride a bike at age 5. Now he rides his bike to his friends’ houses.

You have to push a little at this age. I have a friend who doesn’t like to force her kids to do anything. Her daughter plays no sports and has no activities. I don’t think this is anything to be proud of.

Why are no sports or organized activities anything to be proud of? I agree, kids shouldn't always be in front of a screen, but you can have a happy childhood and be a successful adult without activities.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son whined that it was cold and he didn’t want to ski at age 5. By age 9, he could ski better than my husband. He loves it, absolutely loves it.

My son played soccer and t ball in kindergarten and went on to play travel soccer. He tried tennis at age 6 and didn’t play much until age 8 when the pandemic hit. He is a tennis natural. He played often outside during the pandemic.

My son whines about swimming when he was 5. He complained about going to morning swim team practice. He passed the swim test at age 6, could swim laps and tread water for 2 minutes. He still does not love swimming but at least he can swim decently.

My son cried and was wimpy about learning to ride a bike at age 5. Now he rides his bike to his friends’ houses.

You have to push a little at this age. I have a friend who doesn’t like to force her kids to do anything. Her daughter plays no sports and has no activities. I don’t think this is anything to be proud of.

Why are no sports or organized activities anything to be proud of? I agree, kids shouldn't always be in front of a screen, but you can have a happy childhood and be a successful adult without activities.

As a kid whose parents were just trying to survive and never signed me up for anything, I wish my parents did.

I don’t know any UMC/UC kids who do nothing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son whined that it was cold and he didn’t want to ski at age 5. By age 9, he could ski better than my husband. He loves it, absolutely loves it.

My son played soccer and t ball in kindergarten and went on to play travel soccer. He tried tennis at age 6 and didn’t play much until age 8 when the pandemic hit. He is a tennis natural. He played often outside during the pandemic.

My son whines about swimming when he was 5. He complained about going to morning swim team practice. He passed the swim test at age 6, could swim laps and tread water for 2 minutes. He still does not love swimming but at least he can swim decently.

My son cried and was wimpy about learning to ride a bike at age 5. Now he rides his bike to his friends’ houses.

You have to push a little at this age. I have a friend who doesn’t like to force her kids to do anything. Her daughter plays no sports and has no activities. I don’t think this is anything to be proud of.

Why are no sports or organized activities anything to be proud of? I agree, kids shouldn't always be in front of a screen, but you can have a happy childhood and be a successful adult without activities.

Anonymous wrote:My son whined that it was cold and he didn’t want to ski at age 5. By age 9, he could ski better than my husband. He loves it, absolutely loves it.

My son played soccer and t ball in kindergarten and went on to play travel soccer. He tried tennis at age 6 and didn’t play much until age 8 when the pandemic hit. He is a tennis natural. He played often outside during the pandemic.

My son whines about swimming when he was 5. He complained about going to morning swim team practice. He passed the swim test at age 6, could swim laps and tread water for 2 minutes. He still does not love swimming but at least he can swim decently.

My son cried and was wimpy about learning to ride a bike at age 5. Now he rides his bike to his friends’ houses.

You have to push a little at this age. I have a friend who doesn’t like to force her kids to do anything. Her daughter plays no sports and has no activities. I don’t think this is anything to be proud of.