Across the world children are not given much freedom or choice. Our lives are largely controlled by adults. The small freedoms we have are typically monitored. A large aspect of this problem is not being able to choose extra curricular activities, or quit if you don't like them. Many parents say that you need to teach them perseverance and that sometimes you need to do things you don' t like. This is ridiculous. That's why we go school. Children should not be forced to stick with extra curricular activities that they don't like.
Many people are opposed to letting kids choose. In the article "Should Parents Make Their Kids Stick with Extra Curricular Activities" one mom says, "Kids don't get to pick whether they brush their teeth or get a shot so why let them choose to quit." This is closed minded and horrible. Kids need to be given a choice. Quitting an extra curricular activity is not like brushing your teeth. You do that to be healthy. The whole point of an extra curricular activity is to do something you love. Kids do have the maturity to make choices by themselves. To not let them is a very negative influence on their life. You're teaching them that they won't have to make decisions and are discouraging them to think for them selves. This limits real world skills. "Michelle Obama has gone against the tide by forcing her daughters, Malia and Sasha, to take up two sports: one they choose and one she selects." She should not do this. She is not her daughters. It's not her playing the sports so why make them play a sport she likes. I understand it can be hard for some parents to accept that their kids are not just like them and I can understand that you want them to like things you like, but if they don't you just have to accept that. A good example of this is my life. I was born into a family of artists and I'm an athlete, but my parents have always supported me. Sometimes they say I should try this or that, and I try it. But, if I don't like it they let me drop it. "The latest research shows that kids who practice making their own decisions with the help of parents actually build up their brains and develop important skills." This is helpful, but if your child goes through life with you helping them make decisions they won't grow as much as if you give them the choice. Because you are helping them they won't learn the consequences of making a bad choice which is important.
I think kids should not be forced to do or stick with extra curricular activities. One mom says, "my kids don't play hockey because they begged for sticks at age two, they play because my husband plays and I skate and it's a command passion." That is good parenting. She isn't saying you have to play hockey because your dad plays it, she's letting them play it because they love it. "They ski and snowboard because we live less that five minuets from a small mountain with slopes." Their location is the thing that effects what they do in this situation, not the parents. "Not quitting has a cost: Hours spent at the piano are hours not spent finding something you love." I can connect with that experience. I did play the piano once. I gave it up because school, baseball, and piano was too much, but baseball has been and always will be my greatest love so I continued with it.
Choosing to do or not to do extra curricular activities may be a small issue, but it branches out to larger topics. This is about kids being given a voice in situations where they would normally not have one. It is also about growing and maturing as a person. The choice of doing or not doing or quitting or not quitting and extra curricular activity is very small, but it can effect your life in the long run.
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