Remember, it’s important that she gets free time for riding bikes or reading a good book, and just being a kid. If being on a team means 3 practices a week and a game on Saturdays, your child might be happier with a once a week, hour-long gymnastics class. Have them give it for 2 more weeks to help determine whether your child is just in a slump OR if they truly don’t enjoy the activity anymore. If your child asks to quit something mid-season, don’t rush the decision to give it up.It’s easier for kids to do this with younger children, as kids’ school and work commitments and responsibilities increase as they get older. If finances permit, give your child the opportunity to dabble in a variety of sports and activities as possible, to see what really appeals to them.Being heard and respected by one’s parents goes a long way in building self-esteem. Listen to your child. This will do more for your child than forcing her to stick with an activity.If your child quits an activity and doesn’t want to sign up for another, brainstorm ways that he or she can volunteer and make a positive contribution the community in her spare time.It is their body, their time and their energy after all. At this stage of their life, there aren’t a lot of decisions over which they have autonomy. What’s going on under the surface? Is your child afraid he won’t be good enough or that he’ll disappoint you? Is there a personality clash between your child and the coach? Is she being bullied by teammates? Sometimes a child’s reason for wanting to quit an extracurricular has nothing to do with the activity itself.Just because you LOVED tennis as a teenager doesn’t mean your child will as well. Don’t try to live vicariously through your child.This encourages children to think through their choices and provides a sense of accomplishment in the end. Explain that they asked to start the season, so they need to finish it.It doesn’t have to be a sport it can be an art club or drama group, or anything that will engage their interests and broaden their horizons. Instead, encourage your child to be involved in one activity per year or season. Don’t force a specific sport or activity.Ultimately, you need to choose a solution that works best for you and your children. Keep in mind that what’s right for one family may not be right for another. Thanks to our amazing community of followers, we got some excellent advice and insight. I asked: What’s the best way to handle it when your child wants to quit an extracurricular activity? These are questions that I’m asked often, so I recently polled the most experienced and diverse group of parents I know: my Facebook community. If we allow them to quit, what will it teach them about perseverance and commitment?Īnd what about the investment we’ve made: enrolment fees, equipment, and all of the other expenses that go along with structured extracurriculars. Should we encourage our kids to continue with the activity, hoping they’ll learn to love it?ĭo we force our child to stick it out until the end of the season? Or it could happen that you child will show real talent in a sport or activity, but they’re just not interested in signing up for a second season of it.Īs parents, what should when our child wants to quit an extracurricular that you’ve paid for and commited to? It will go down a little something like this: your child will beg (or at the very least, show a keen interest) to join a sport or dance class or after-school club, but after a while, they’ll discover that they’re not enjoying it like they thought they would. If you haven’t been through it yet, be thankful, but be prepared… because it’s likely going to happen at some point. It’s when your child wants to quit an extracurricular activity that they asked to sign up for. There’s a situation that almost every parent dreads, but is certain to go through at one time or another. 75+ Best Chapter Books for Girls Ages 5-13ġ5 important things to consider when your child wants to quit an extracurricular activity.Best Books for Boys – 40+ Fantastic Reads for Boys ages 8-16.Happy Hooligans Accessibility Statement.
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