The decision to quit – or not – is influenced by situational factors but, above all, it’s important that your child feels that she’s heard. That approach may backfire, though, if your kids are then fearful to try anything new because they worry they’ll be stuck with it forever.Ī lot of parents will probably fall somewhere in the middle. There are also some families out there who operate under the philosophy that parents know what’s best, and therefore, their kids are going to commit to a sport for years at a time – no excuses allowed. Or it might send the message that you support him in all of his endeavors and you’re proud of him for trying. On the other hand, letting your child quit mid-stream (before the end of a competition or season, for example) might give him the impression that any time the going gets tough, he can bail out. Then she can revisit her thoughts on continuing (or not). Maybe it just means that she stays put for the duration of the season because she’s made a commitment to her team and can’t let her teammates and coaches down. 31, 2021, article for (“Should I Allow My Child to Quit a Sports Team?”) Some families operate under the motto that “We never quit.” Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean your child is stuck to live out her life in a sport she says she doesn’t enjoy anymore. So how much should we push back when our kids express the desire to quit? The first question you might ask is, what’s your family’s philosophy on quitting? That’s according to Amy Morin in a Jan. Some kids need a little distance to rediscover their love of a sport. Encourage your child to stick out the season, then take a few months off.
Kids who say they don’t like their sport anymore may just need to pause temporarily. In either scenario, if a conversation doesn’t stop the bullying, it’s time to find another team. Your strategy will vary depending on whether the bully in question is a teammate or the coach. Anzilotti recommends that parents brainstorm with their kids about ways to deal with a bully. If the issue at hand is bullying, that obviously calls for a more serious discussion. The tone of that conversation should be nonconfrontational and steer clear of blame. It might be time for an informal conversation with them to talk through the challenge and find a solution together. Is there an issue with a teammate or coach, for example? Perhaps that teammate or coach isn’t even aware of the issue. When a child is thinking about quitting, there might be underlying issues at play. If your children feel tired or overwhelmed, they might try doing less of the sport or taking something else off their schedules. Amy Anzilotti shares several points for teens to consider before they quit a sport – and her suggestions may also be helpful for younger kids and their parents. In an article (“What if I Want to Quit a Sport?”) for for nonprofit children’s health system Nemours, Dr. As adults, we have the benefit of time and experience to understand the satisfaction and confidence that can come from sticking with a sport – even if we’re not the one winning all of the competitions or recognition. Instead, all they may see is that a couple of teammates seem to be stronger or better at the sport than they are. They may not see that at the moment, of course. Here’s one critical point to consider: sports may be the best place for your kids to develop not just physical strength, but mental strength, as well.
To what extent should we push them to stay? Particularly in the teen years, when fitting in seems especially important, it may be tempting for kids to assume that they’ll never be able to keep up with their teammates – and jump to conclusions that they should quit the sport altogether – even if it’s one they genuinely love.
What seems easy for other kids may be hard for them. Inevitably, in a team environment kids may begin to compare themselves to their teammates. To Quit or Not to Quit To Quit or Not to QuitĬompetitive sports offer kids of all ages so many important life lessons – perseverance, learning to win and lose gracefully, and accepting constructive criticism, to name just a few.
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