Anonymous
Post 01/03/2024 01:41     Subject: Kids Have No Interest In UMC Activities
My kids like skiing and golf a lot more when we do it with their friends. Friends can make all the difference.
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2024 15:05     Subject: Kids Have No Interest In UMC Activities
Anonymous wrote:
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.


You have to motivate them internally when they are young. Bribing, begging and forcing doesn't work. We tricked them into loving it by turning skiing and golf into games, going with friends, bringing candy to eat, etc. Our oldest would've loved it all no matter what we did, but our youngest would've absolutely leaned toward video games without serious effort on our part to inspire a love of outdoors and family sports.
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2024 15:01     Subject: Kids Have No Interest In UMC Activities
Anonymous wrote:
I'd have a lot more sympathy if you just complained your kids didn't want to do the activities you wanted them to do.

These activities ARE middle class activities. The middle class is vast, OP.

We're wealthy and home-bound. My introverted, unathletic kids like to read and play video games. We like classical music (one sings in a choir, the other plays in a youth orchestra). One rides on horseback, sure, but that can also be a middle class activity if you do group lessons and never own your horse. My oldest is in college, and college admissions didn't care about his lack of sports on his application.

So... do what you want, parent how you want, but don't parse it by class, for goodness' sakes.




Video games ARE sports. They even have a name: eSports.

And they have tournaments and championships too.
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2024 13:51     Subject: Kids Have No Interest In UMC Activities
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I work for a tech company, think of Cisco Systems, Palo Alto network, Oracle, etc..., and we invite our clients to play golf every month at expensive places. A lot of our clients are government folks and senior leadership in the financial industry. Why do you think my company is doing this? Is that "gross" to you?


A lot of these people are over 40 and not in great shape. Anyone can learn the game it’s doesn’t take skill to play. It takes skill to excel but you’re not at a tournament. It’s also good to be able to have conversations between holes. That’s why businesses use golf. Although some people want to scream with boredom halfway through so hopefully they know their clients well.


I would rather be hanging out with a decision maker who is out of shape than an athletic person who is a minion in the company.

Anyone with $$$ can learn the game and it does take skills to play the game, unless you consistently hit the ball 50 yards and into the woods. It takes a lot of skills to excel but you wouldn't know that. Last I check, it takes around 200K to join the Congressional Country Club and there is a waiting list.


Anyone can learn but not too many will be Tiger Woods. There are public courses to practice if you have to play for business. I’ve played foursomes with my husband but he is way too serious. People play at charity tournaments who don’t otherwise play. Just practice at public course, putting and driving ranges.
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2024 13:00     Subject: Kids Have No Interest In UMC Activities
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I work for a tech company, think of Cisco Systems, Palo Alto network, Oracle, etc..., and we invite our clients to play golf every month at expensive places. A lot of our clients are government folks and senior leadership in the financial industry. Why do you think my company is doing this? Is that "gross" to you?


A lot of these people are over 40 and not in great shape. Anyone can learn the game it’s doesn’t take skill to play. It takes skill to excel but you’re not at a tournament. It’s also good to be able to have conversations between holes. That’s why businesses use golf. Although some people want to scream with boredom halfway through so hopefully they know their clients well.


I would rather be hanging out with a decision maker who is out of shape than an athletic person who is a minion in the company.

Anyone with $$$ can learn the game and it does take skills to play the game, unless you consistently hit the ball 50 yards and into the woods. It takes a lot of skills to excel but you wouldn't know that. Last I check, it takes around 200K to join the Congressional Country Club and there is a waiting list.
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2024 12:54     Subject: Kids Have No Interest In UMC Activities
So — 1) you have let your children dictate that you don’t ski as a family, and 2) you let them do nothing but play video games?

You have failed your kids. My SIL failed hers in the exact same way. They are both over 30 with no college and no job and living in her house. Still doing nothing but playing video games.
Anonymous
Post 01/02/2024 12:46     Subject: Re:Kids Have No Interest In UMC Activities
What a gross thread, OP. Desperate and pathetic.
Anonymous
Post 01/01/2024 13:55     Subject: Kids Have No Interest In UMC Activities
Anonymous wrote:
I'd have a lot more sympathy if you just complained your kids didn't want to do the activities you wanted them to do.

These activities ARE middle class activities. The middle class is vast, OP.

We're wealthy and home-bound. My introverted, unathletic kids like to read and play video games. We like classical music (one sings in a choir, the other plays in a youth orchestra). One rides on horseback, sure, but that can also be a middle class activity if you do group lessons and never own your horse. My oldest is in college, and college admissions didn't care about his lack of sports on his application.

So... do what you want, parent how you want, but don't parse it by class, for goodness' sakes.




Nothing wrong with being introverted and homebound.
Anonymous
Post 12/31/2023 22:03     Subject: Kids Have No Interest In UMC Activities
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
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.


This. Activities that could "come in handy," like what, closing the big deal on the golf course? Gross.

I'd say they need some physical activity and that should have been instilled a long time ago, but that's not what you asked.


I work for a tech company, think of Cisco Systems, Palo Alto network, Oracle, etc..., and we invite our clients to play golf every month at expensive places. A lot of our clients are government folks and senior leadership in the financial industry. Why do you think my company is doing this? Is that "gross" to you?


A lot of these people are over 40 and not in great shape. Anyone can learn the game it’s doesn’t take skill to play. It takes skill to excel but you’re not at a tournament. It’s also good to be able to have conversations between holes. That’s why businesses use golf. Although some people want to scream with boredom halfway through so hopefully they know their clients well.
Anonymous
Post 12/31/2023 20:55     Subject: Kids Have No Interest In UMC Activities
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
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.


This. Activities that could "come in handy," like what, closing the big deal on the golf course? Gross.

I'd say they need some physical activity and that should have been instilled a long time ago, but that's not what you asked.


I work for a tech company, think of Cisco Systems, Palo Alto network, Oracle, etc..., and we invite our clients to play golf every month at expensive places. A lot of our clients are government folks and senior leadership in the financial industry. Why do you think my company is doing this? Is that "gross" to you?


Nothing wrong with golf. I used to play, but realized it wasn’t for me. I got decent at it, shot under 100 regularly. Note I said decent, not good- it’s a hard game. Though I enjoyed it to some degree, I also did tire of it. Too many people on the course, way too many jack arses, and too many hot shots- not my scene.

Also, I don’t get the whole “closing the deal” thing while playing golf??? When I golfed, it was to get away from work. Talking about work seems like a good way to ruin a round. I have other activities now, if somebody talked to me about work while doing these, I wouldn’t invite them back.