Anonymous
05/12/2026 08:48
Subject: What age did you stop staying for kids practices?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:These responses surprise me- I didn’t totally leave until 10 or so . Age 5, no one left
They surprise me too in the opposite way. Are the people staying at practice the same people who still choose to stay as a drop-off birthday party at age 10?
I’m the PP and I dropped off at parties starting in K unless parent specified no drop off (like trampoline park etc they sometimes want parents to stay until 3rd or so). Maybe because my kids play rec sports only, so the teams have plenty of goofballs etc on them and I don’t want to leave some poor volunteer coach with a team of 10 seven year old soccer players who are rhnning around misbehaving for an hour? I do seem to see travel sport parents drop off much earlier. But those kids are more motivated and serious, and the coaches are paid and have assistants
Unless explicitly stated otherwise, which for us has only ever been a 30 min swim lesson, I just fail to see the difference between dropping off for a birthday party vs dropping off for sports. Drop off parties became an option starting in 1st grade and that's when I began dropping off for sports as well.
Have you ever volunteered to be the head coach for 5 year old t-ball or rec soccer? Just curious.
Yes, my husband was an assistant tball coach with our eldest. There was never any problems except a couple boys kept drawing in the dirt.
Anonymous
05/12/2026 08:41
Subject: What age did you stop staying for kids practices?
Anonymous wrote:Most rec practices for outdoor sports are at large, busy public parks with nasty port a potties out of sight or some distance from the practice area. If there's only one adult in charge of a gaggle of 5 year olds, what is he supposed to do if your kid needs to go to the bathroom?
Most of the places we go don't have any kind of bathroom facilities. Kids just don't go.
Anonymous
05/12/2026 08:41
Subject: What age did you stop staying for kids practices?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:These responses surprise me- I didn’t totally leave until 10 or so . Age 5, no one left
They surprise me too in the opposite way. Are the people staying at practice the same people who still choose to stay as a drop-off birthday party at age 10?
I’m the PP and I dropped off at parties starting in K unless parent specified no drop off (like trampoline park etc they sometimes want parents to stay until 3rd or so). Maybe because my kids play rec sports only, so the teams have plenty of goofballs etc on them and I don’t want to leave some poor volunteer coach with a team of 10 seven year old soccer players who are rhnning around misbehaving for an hour? I do seem to see travel sport parents drop off much earlier. But those kids are more motivated and serious, and the coaches are paid and have assistants
Unless explicitly stated otherwise, which for us has only ever been a 30 min swim lesson, I just fail to see the difference between dropping off for a birthday party vs dropping off for sports. Drop off parties became an option starting in 1st grade and that's when I began dropping off for sports as well.
Have you ever volunteered to be the head coach for 5 year old t-ball or rec soccer? Just curious.
Anonymous
05/12/2026 08:40
Subject: What age did you stop staying for kids practices?
Most rec practices for outdoor sports are at large, busy public parks with nasty port a potties out of sight or some distance from the practice area. If there's only one adult in charge of a gaggle of 5 year olds, what is he supposed to do if your kid needs to go to the bathroom?
Anonymous
05/12/2026 08:27
Subject: What age did you stop staying for kids practices?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:These responses surprise me- I didn’t totally leave until 10 or so . Age 5, no one left
They surprise me too in the opposite way. Are the people staying at practice the same people who still choose to stay as a drop-off birthday party at age 10?
I’m the PP and I dropped off at parties starting in K unless parent specified no drop off (like trampoline park etc they sometimes want parents to stay until 3rd or so). Maybe because my kids play rec sports only, so the teams have plenty of goofballs etc on them and I don’t want to leave some poor volunteer coach with a team of 10 seven year old soccer players who are rhnning around misbehaving for an hour? I do seem to see travel sport parents drop off much earlier. But those kids are more motivated and serious, and the coaches are paid and have assistants
Unless explicitly stated otherwise, which for us has only ever been a 30 min swim lesson, I just fail to see the difference between dropping off for a birthday party vs dropping off for sports. Drop off parties became an option starting in 1st grade and that's when I began dropping off for sports as well.
Anonymous
05/12/2026 08:10
Subject: What age did you stop staying for kids practices?
Swim and gymnastics we weren’t allowed to stay (especially post Covid). So my kids were 7 when I was dropping off there, but those are paid coaches.
Rec soccer, after I got to know the coach, I would sometimes leave starting at age 5/6 if I had to run another kid somewhere, but my son is awesome about direction following and again, I knew the coach
Once my son was on pre-travel they asked the parents to leave. I stayed in my car until I knew how everything was run and knew my son had my number memorized, he was 7.
Dance- I only stayed when class was an hour, because it didn’t make sense to leave and come back.
I can’t think of a single time my kids needed me in any of those practices except for injuries in gymnastics. In which case, coaches called and we came and picked up (or not if she was fine).
If a rec coach needs parents to stay, they should absolutely tell parents that, because unless my kid is out of control, I would assume they have it handled. (Or I would offer to volunteer if there was no co-coach! I think two coaches is the minimum).
Rec soccer, after I got to know the coach, I would sometimes leave starting at age 5/6 if I had to run another kid somewhere, but my son is awesome about direction following and again, I knew the coach
Once my son was on pre-travel they asked the parents to leave. I stayed in my car until I knew how everything was run and knew my son had my number memorized, he was 7.
Dance- I only stayed when class was an hour, because it didn’t make sense to leave and come back.
I can’t think of a single time my kids needed me in any of those practices except for injuries in gymnastics. In which case, coaches called and we came and picked up (or not if she was fine).
If a rec coach needs parents to stay, they should absolutely tell parents that, because unless my kid is out of control, I would assume they have it handled. (Or I would offer to volunteer if there was no co-coach! I think two coaches is the minimum).
Anonymous
05/11/2026 23:02
Subject: What age did you stop staying for kids practices?
Depends on the sport, and age of the kids and family... if the family has multiple kids, they were more likely to go make better use of their time.
I'd say I noticed some family left at age 9 and most families left by age 11 to go exercise or run errands.
Age 8 and under you should check w the coach to make sure it's ok or check with another parent to let them know you are gone.
IN travel sports it's ok for the parents to leave the kid w/o telling the paid coach. But usually the parent tells another parent when they are younger. By 11/12 totally normal for only a few parents to attend. 5/6 only if Coach and another parent says ok and your kid knows.
I'd say I noticed some family left at age 9 and most families left by age 11 to go exercise or run errands.
Age 8 and under you should check w the coach to make sure it's ok or check with another parent to let them know you are gone.
IN travel sports it's ok for the parents to leave the kid w/o telling the paid coach. But usually the parent tells another parent when they are younger. By 11/12 totally normal for only a few parents to attend. 5/6 only if Coach and another parent says ok and your kid knows.
Anonymous
05/11/2026 21:52
Subject: What age did you stop staying for kids practices?
For us the transition was from everyone staying to people asking other parents to watch their kids. So, 3 parents would be there and each would have a group they were in charge of.
Anonymous
05/11/2026 21:50
Subject: What age did you stop staying for kids practices?
2nd grade, but if I knew my kid didn’t need my support/was very serious. I was always close by (walking around neighborhood adjacent to field, running an errand in plaza, or honestly sitting in my car).
For games, I attend.
For games, I attend.
Anonymous
05/11/2026 21:45
Subject: Re:What age did you stop staying for kids practices?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Yeah no as a volunteer coach for soccer I am not playing this dumb game with you parents. Ive got my own life to get back to.
And its actually in our rules that you cant drop off and need to be present. Want to walk around the park- sure! Work in your car- great!
Need to take a quick trip to go pick up your other kid, let me know and I need a contact for you. Otherwise, get comfortable.
Does not apply to kids over the age of 9/10. But a 5 year old? GFY.
You sound unhinged. Not a great temperament to be volunteering with little kids. Maybe give it a rest and look into therapy or anger management?[/quote
Yeah totally unhinged at the parents treating volunteer coaches as unpaid babysitters.
Leaving a 5 yo is negligent. Not cute. Not a misunderstanding. Not a maturity question.
Ffs the same people on this board will hem and haw about not letting their 5yo go to K and redshirt most of their kids.
Anonymous
05/11/2026 21:41
Subject: What age did you stop staying for kids practices?
Feel free to mind your own business, OP.
Anonymous
05/11/2026 21:38
Subject: What age did you stop staying for kids practices?
When I coached T-ball I had to send out email blasts to remind parents to stay with their kids. If a kid has to go to the bathroom I can't leave the other kids to escort them, and sometimes the bathrooms are far or could have anything going on in there. If you would at all be concerned about your kid unsupervised and out of sight at the bathroom then they definitely aren't old enough to be dropped off at practice.
Anonymous
05/11/2026 21:36
Subject: What age did you stop staying for kids practices?
2nd grade
Anonymous
05/11/2026 21:15
Subject: What age did you stop staying for kids practices?
Anonymous wrote:7--my kid was swimming for RMSC. Parents were not allowed to watch practice.
Not true in my experience. Parents are allowed to watch but can't go on deck and some of the places you are allowed to watch from aren't great/close.
Anonymous
05/11/2026 20:09
Subject: What age did you stop staying for kids practices?
Holy cow, these people are volunteers! You stay and ask what you can do to help. Leaving your kid with an overworked volunteer is a dick move, especially when they’re <10.