letting kids play other sports

[Easton33]

This whole thread reaks of helicopter parenting. Sports are supposed to be fun. If a kid enjoys playing other sports then they should play other sports. If they have more fun just playing one sport than that is
what they should do. Unless it is affecting their schoolwork it really shouldn't be a parent's decision to make. If your DD cannot play for TB team A because she plays another sport which she enjoys playing
then find another team which will allow her to play that sport.

Partying, drinking, drugs, and sex, I am sure most HS kids find some of these FUN too. Why in the name of fun don't you let your kid do them? Because you as an adult understand there are consequences to the decisions they make and they are not fully aware of what those consequences can be. If a player wants to play in college, then the parent may actually have to step in and say this is not a good choice for you because it isn't the best path for you to achieve your goal. No if you just want to keep playing rec ball or some form of high level C ball, then by all means, hook that athlete up with 4 or 5 sports as long as she is having fun. Beats the alternative of partying, drugs, drinking, and sex.

BTW, has anyone told weightlifters/powerlifters they shouldn't train their bodies year round? What about fitness (cardio) trainers?

 

[_MIA_]

Partying, drinking, drugs, and sex, I am sure most HS kids find some of these FUN too.

Come on. The negative effect of doing things is obvious and harmful. If the worse thing that happens to your child is that they are unable to play college ball then I think a parent can count themselves lucky. Again, if academics are effected then a parent must step in there.

To be clear, I am not against only playing 1 sport in HS. I made this decision for MYSELF midway through my Soph. year in HS. It was made for a number of reasons but one of them was that I wanted to be able to hit more during the winter. What I am saying is that
this really shouldn't be a parent dictating to a kid that he/she quit a sport that they enjoy playing. Sometimes parents have to let their kids make decisions for themselves when they know that the consequence of making the wrong one (in their opinion) isn't going to ruin their lives. That is part of the maturing process. Otherwise you get young adults who have an inability to cope in a world where Daddy/Mommy aren't around to micromanage their lives...e.g about half of the students that I see at the University where I teach...

 

[riseball]

Some parents want to micromanage every aspect of their kids lives while others just want to be friends with their offspring. When I hear a parent state that they are best friends with their kid it makes me want to puke. They defer the decision making and child rearing to anyone else but themselves including the minor child. To me letting kids make their own decisions and "handle things on their own" seems like double speak for "I do not have the spine to be a parent". Both ends of the spectrum are unhealthy, poor methods of parenting yet seem to be increasing in frequency. Sad state of affairs.

 

[_MIA_]

Both ends of the spectrum are unhealthy, poor methods of parenting yet seem to be increasing in frequency. Sad state of affairs.

I agree with you on this. I guess I don't agree with you that letting your child choose to play a sport puts a parent onto one end of that spectrum.

 

[riseball]

I agree with you on this. I guess I don't agree with you that letting your child choose to play a sport puts a parent onto one end of that spectrum.

Never said it does. You read that into it.

 

[_MIA_]

Never said it does. You read that into it.

"This flies in the face of the role, authority, and responsibility of a true parent. This sounds like a parent that has abdicated their role and assumed that of the minor child's "best friend". "

This was your original response. I just connected your last statement with the above in my "reading" of your sentiment....

 

[riseball]

"This flies in the face of the role, authority, and responsibility of a true parent. This sounds like a parent that has abdicated their role and assumed that of the minor child's "best friend". "

This was your original response. I just connected your last statement with the above in my "reading" of your sentiment....

It had nothing to do with playing a sport. Constraining parental authority to an impact on academics is misguided. There a many reasons why a parent may not permit participation in a sport regardless of the wants and desires of the minor child.

 

[_MIA_]

There a many reasons why a parent may not permit participation in a sport regardless of the wants and desires of the minor child.

Like what? Only other reason, besides academics, which doesn't eventually boil down to the parent wanting the DD to be the best that she can be at softball, is not letting them
play a sport where an injury can be life threatening/altering, e.g. football.

 

[spleen1015]

This subject is just like every thing else. We all have our opinions on the subject and nothing anyone else says is going to change how we feel about it.

My DD is getting lots of attention from her #1 choice and they've told her to play basketball in HS. It will only make her a better athlete. She would play regardless because that's what we believe to be the best course.

 

[riseball]

Like what? Only other reason, besides academics, which doesn't eventually boil down to the parent wanting the DD to be the best that she can be at softball, is not letting them
play a sport where an injury can be life threatening/altering, e.g. football.

CTE is damn good reason, there are also costs, logistics, issues of ethics, issues of morality, the list goes on and on. There is a High School to the West of Orlando where some parents do not allow their kids to play some High School Sports because some of the teams have a history of being a cesspool of drama and deviant behavior.

Bottom line is that it is the parents decision, not that of the minor child. The parent does not need to justify the decision to the child or anyone else. Unless you are on the edge of the spectrum "Because I said so" is all the justification that is required.