Many parents place a lot of value involving their children in some form of activity. Whether this activity is a sport, an instrument, or something else, parents are often the ones who encourage their child to participate, drive them to and from lessons and practices, and are there in the crowds to cheer them on when necessary. Especially if your child has been involved with a certain activity for a large amount of time, it can be difficult if the child ever approaches you with the prospect of quitting that activity.
Quitting is not something that parents should teach their children, but neither is continuing to participate in something that makes you uncomfortable or unhappy. Many times, when parents are asked for assistance in quitting an activity by their kid, they are slightly annoyed and may even pressure the child to continue doing whatever it is- even though they now know that the child doesn’t enjoy it anymore.
Some parents forcibly make their children continue the activity by punishing them in some way if they don’t. This is bad because it can make the children resentful towards you and the activity and it can also take time away from other activities that they are much more passionate about.
If your child approaches you about quitting an activity, one recommendation for a parent is to allow the child to quit, but let them choose a different activity to partake in. This shows the value of pursuing hobbies that make you happy. So, if your daughter decides that she no longer wants to play soccer and would rather draw, sign her up for weekly art lessons instead of forcing her to participate in a sport she doesn’t look forward to playing.