Hobby Hopping- Connecting with Kids

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Hobby Hopping

Eleven-year-old
Jonathan likes baseball. He’s pretty good at basketball, and then there’s
tennis, soccer, and swimming and those are just the sports.

“Right
now I just play the saxophone…I’m about to pick up the guitar again…I
used to play the piano and the guitar, but I stopped cause I started
playing the saxophone,” explains Jonathan.

Jonathan’s
mom likes the fact that he tries a lot of things.

“I
want them to try as many things as they can…because I know they’ll
find the things that are important to them,” she says.

Experts
agree with this to a point. Children find themselves by exploring different
activities, but constant hobby hopping without any real commitment should
be a concern.

“I
would be concerned if I have a child that’s engaged in activities and
he or she seemed to be pretty good at it, and after a year at it, they
just decide I’m gonna stop this,” says psychologist Dr. Jennifer Kelly.

However,
convincing a child to keep up an activity when the’re not inclined can
be a tough task. Experts say you should push your child gently to stay
in an activity they’re good at, encourage them, and talk about how their
skills have developed.

“Right now I just
play the saxophone…I’m about to pick up the guitar again…I used to
play the piano and the guitar, but I stopped cause I started playing the
saxophone.”

-Jonathan, 11
 

WHAT
PARENTS SHOULD KNOW


It is often frustrating for a parent who just bought that “must have”
tennis racket if the child decides tennis is boring and he is ready for
that “must have” basketball goal. Experts say that hobby hopping, especially
at a young age, isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It gives children the opportunity
to try new activities, discovering strengths and talents along the way.
It also allows them the opportunity to feed their curiosity with a variety
of things. But parents should look into why the child is changing activities,
and assess if there is a deeper reason behind the switch.


One reason many kids change activities is a desire to be with their friends.
If your child started an activity with friends and the friends change
activities, she will probably be inclined to do the same.

Another
factor is packed schedules, sometimes leading to burnout. If a child has
too much to do, the fun can begin to dissipate. Another possible reason
for wanting to quit could be a bad environment. If a child seems resistant
to an activity that was formerly enjoyable, she could be having trouble
with the instructor or another child. A parent suspicious of this should
talk to the child and the instructor about anything that could possibly
be causing discomfort for the child. . .

The
Chronic Quitter


For younger children, a change of interest in a hobby mid-stream
is common. As a child reaches age 12, she should begin to understand
the value of commitment.


A chronic quitter at this age should be taught that quitting, especially
quitting a team, affects more than just her. This could be the opportunity
to teach the child important lessons regarding discipline, accountability,
sacrifice and teamwork.


-Sportsparents

To
Hop or Not to Hop


Before letting your child drop an activity, parents should look
into the real reason the child is dropping it and what he or she
may gain from “sticking it out.”


If the child seems to be struggling with learning a new sport or
talent and getting through the first few stages is the major hurdle,
parents may want to encourage the child to keep at it a little longer.

Parents
should also make sure that a child isn’t doing a certain activity
as a parent pleaser. Conversely, if a parent shows no interest at
all, the child may be prone to thinking that the activity isn’t
important.

Finally,
if the activity doesn’t match the child’s talents, parents should
consider letting the child switch activities.

Resources

Sports
Parents-www.sportsparents.com

BC Parent-News Magazine

Department of Education –http://www.ed.gov/pubs/Safe
and Smart/intro.html
For
more information on
parenting issues contact us:
Connecting with
Kids