You’ve seen them—the families with their kids’ team stickers plastered across the back of their minivans. Every weekend, and often during the week, there’s a game or a meet to attend. They might drive for hours to reach the venue, sometimes contending with entry fees or obligations to volunteer at concession stands. Perhaps they’re also tasked with fundraising, selling everything from donuts to cookie dough.
Then come the practices. Each weeknight, between school and homework, their children push themselves under the guidance of coaches who may lack qualifications beyond merely signing up. If it’s not every night, it’s at least three times a week, leaving families scrambling for dinner in the chaos of shuttling to and from practices. Family dinners become a rarity on those nights.
I refuse to live that way.
Observing these families, I realize this is not the lifestyle I want for my children. Truthfully, none of my kids will be marching in the Olympics anytime soon. They are not destined to be the next Michael Phelps or Pelé, and sacrificing our family life for sports simply doesn’t seem worthwhile. That’s why my kids have never been allowed to participate in organized sports.
Above all, I value the freedom of our evenings and weekends. There’s a local Tall Ships event this weekend, and we can spontaneously decide to go without worrying about sports schedules. We can sleep in if we choose and never fret about sports clashing with our cherished church gatherings or brunches with friends we consider family.
When my husband returns home, he doesn’t have to rush from practice to grab a quick meal. Instead, we can enjoy our time together, eat when we please, and even embark on adventures like a toad hunt by the river as night falls. My other kids aren’t tethered to their sibling’s sports commitments; we don’t spend our quality time watching practices from the sidelines.
I understand that organized sports offer benefits. Children learn teamwork, build camaraderie, and develop resilience. However, my kids are not couch potatoes. They love hiking—just last month, they scaled a mountain, with even the 3-year-old managing it on her own. We explore the woods by our creek, searching for gators and laughing at fallen sticks we jokingly call “logagators.”
My kids also kayak with enthusiasm. My 5-year-old has his own boat and maneuvers it expertly on a calm lake, while my 7-year-old is eager to tackle Class II rapids, and the 3-year-old rides on my lap. We often venture out with friends, including my 7-year-old’s best buddy, fostering socialization amidst our outdoor exploits.
Additionally, they take sports lessons—figure skating, no less—with a former Olympian. This coach has left rinks due to overly competitive parents, and there’s no pressure for my kids to compete. They’re currently in the phase of mastering basic movements on the ice, participating for just an hour a week, and they adore it. No travel to competitions, no expensive costumes, and no tears over missed jumps. I even join them on the ice to help, making it enjoyable for everyone.
All the physical activities we engage in, we do as a family. We cherish our time together, and our joy comes from being with each other, not from competing against others. You can call us clingy or homebodies, but in the limited time we have, we choose to stick together. That commitment means making sacrifices, and the most significant sacrifice is avoiding organized sports.
Am I disappointed that my kids won’t experience T-ball, or that I won’t have the joy of styling their photos like real baseball cards? Sure. I see adorable Facebook pictures of little ones chasing after a soccer ball, and I feel a twinge of nostalgia. But we’ve made our choice, and we intend to stick with it.
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Summary
Choosing not to enroll my kids in organized sports stems from a desire to prioritize family time and freedom. While I acknowledge the benefits of sports, my family enjoys a variety of outdoor activities together, allowing us to bond without the pressures of competition or schedules. Our choice may seem unconventional, but it works for us, and we are committed to making it count.