Lessons, sports for kids and being frugal

**rachelj** · 08-05-2008, 04:07 PM

DS is 4 and DD is 2.5

Our kids have not been in any sports or lessons. Partly b/c it doesn't fit into the budget and partly because we want to protect family time at least while they are still young and the kids have little to no clue what they want to participate in. So, yes we could probably get ds into soccer or tball. But we haven't - we aren't willing to go nuts with practices etc and we would have to do some real juggling with our budget.

I got a phone call yesterday from a lady in town asking me to put DD in a gymnastics class 1x/week for 30 minutes. $40/month! It is hard for me to spend $40/month on something that I am not even sure that she will enjoy when she is only 2.5 yrs old. Does that make sense?

How do you decide when to put children into activities/lessons? We aren't putting DD in gymnastics but I am sure I will be asked why.

**Izzy0906** · 08-05-2008, 04:11 PM

My daughter will be going into gymnastics. It's $125 for 10 weeks, 1 hour class 1x/week. My parents will be paying for it for a christmas present for her otherwise, she wouldn't be joining. I was going to sign her up for cheerleading at $75. Not bad right??? Until I found out that it was $75 just to sign up... $35 for specific sneakers and $45 for uniforms. I told my parents don't bother. I'll take her out back and teach her how to shake a pom-pom and say "you're number 1!"

**rachelj** · 08-05-2008, 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by Izzy0906

I told my parents don't bother. I'll take her out back and teach her how to shake a pom-pom and say "you're number 1!"

Thank you!!

**WV_mom_of2** · 08-05-2008, 04:32 PM

Our kids are 12 and 16 and don't participate in any sports. Over the years we've tried a couple of things, but they just aren't sports kids. Dd would rather be reading and ds would rather be getting dirty or building something LOL.

We don't push sports/lessons for several reasons. We live in the country and are to far away to attend most practices/games. We did do soccer for two seasons with ds but he really hated it. Dd did baton for 2 1/2 years, but I did fund raising for the group so she got her lessons for free. Right now we live 45 minutes from the high school and with gas at 4.00 a gallon, it would be impossible for us. We also can't afford another vehicle for dd to drive(if she was the slightest bit interested in getting her license, which she isn't).

We also never encouraged the kids to play organized sports here because it's all Little League and it's ROUGH! Parents boo kids, they scream and yell at the kids, they fist fight in the stands, etc. NOT something I want my kids exposed to. We also really value our family time and spend alot of time going camping, sitting outside around the firepit, etc. Living as far away from things as we do, we would miss out on so much of that time together.

I don't think you need to give an explanation for why you aren't putting your kids in sports. Just say "no thank you" and if they ask why tell them that it's just not something you are interested in and leave it at that. It's noone's business!

**yankeegal** · 08-05-2008, 04:55 PM

My children did not participate in sports until they went to school and then it was youth soccer and t ball. It is so much cheaper than any kind of private lessons.

**hugxlaughxsmilexlove** · 08-05-2008, 05:13 PM

Right now I have DD3.5 and DD1.5 - DD3.5 did gymnastics this summer - LOVED being around kids.. but she went everyday, two weeks straight for an hour each time. My cost was $30 because it's something the city offers for summer programs.. She did have a lot of fun, got to be around kids before starting pre-school.. will probably have my kids do a program like that every summer as long as I feel they're "old" enough to handle it and it's worth the time driving there and money..

**rachelj** · 08-05-2008, 05:16 PM

Yeah, $30/for 10 hours of lessons VS $40 for 2 hours of lessons is a big difference. Oh, I forgot to mention the registration fee on TOP of that!! ! I probably would have done that too!!

**hugxlaughxsmilexlove** · 08-05-2008, 06:11 PM

Yeah.. I probably wouldn't have done that. 2 hours is not enough time for a small child, IMO. Especially at 30 minutes a week, what are people thinking! A toddler needs to constantly focus on what they're doing to even learn something.. at least mine do. There eyes are always one way one minute and another the next. Kids!

**PB&J** · 08-05-2008, 06:16 PM

My boys used to do karate with a group called America's Youth. It was $7 per lesson, or $12 for the two of them, once a week. You might check into that, I know they had a few groups around the US. I thought it was a very reasonable price and they had a lot of fun.

My daughter is doing swimming lessons this summer with the Red Cross. It was $56 for 2 weeks of lessons. She goes M-F for 30 minutes a day.

Cheerleading is expensive. My sister was a cheerleader when I wasa kid. It sounded inexpensive, but they were always wanting $$ left and right for costumes, shoes and whatnot. Even the hairbows were pricey.

**peanut** · 08-05-2008, 06:18 PM

When my kids were in junior high school we did organized sports. Before that it was YMCA or city classes for things like swimming or jump rope. I think they did some gymnastics in elementary school. But you know, they came to me together one time and complained that they were overbooked, what with school, classes, Girl Guides, etc., and could I please give them some time to read? LOL Well, we backed off and it was a good thing. They are both 21 and 23 now and in university. They could do the athletic stuff; it just didn't interest them.

The added benefit was we could take off when we wanted for family vacations. We didn't have to worry about working around a team schedule.

[edited to add: If you really think they need to develop athletically, there are a lot of games you can play as a family - frisbee, softball, badminton, crochet, etc. even going for family walks on a regular basis. You don't have to be signed up in a class, lesson or on a team to get physically fit!]

Jean

**AmyBoz** · 08-05-2008, 07:44 PM

So far, Dd has tried a few sports, but hasn't really been a fan. As long as it's cheap, I don't mind her trying them. She played soccer for a season...didn't like it. She swam for a season; really enjoyed that but it was too expensive for my tastes. So, we'll discuss it further. She's taking tennis at camp this summer and is enjoying it, but lessons are too pricey around here, so we can just go hit a ball around the local courts together.

We are signing both dd and ds#1 up for learn to skate lessons at the local arena. Dh is a hockey player and wants the kids to learn to skate. However, if they hate it, they don't have to do it past the lessons. He's hoping they love it. Me? Hmmm...since I'll be the one sitting in the cold arena waiting for them...well, I won't be heartbroken if they don't.

Dd is a reader and a sewer. Ds#1 is more of an outdoorsy kinda little guy. He'd rather be "fishing" in our stream than doing much of anything else. I'm not pushing sports on anyone. I wasn't athletic and didn't enjoy sports, so I know how that feels. Dd does Girl Scouts and loves it.

**knotme** · 08-05-2008, 08:06 PM

We did ballet with my girls. oldest DD ended up with unlimited lessons for about $200 a month, but it ended up being several classes every day for 2-3 or more hours. We found she couldn't keep up with the homework at school plus there were several problems with the teacher herself. (One of those dance schools where parents who pay the most $$$$$$$$ gets the best for the kids and those that don't pay the $$$$$$$$$$$ the kids get ridiculed the whole time. ) We quit and got a life back. Would I do it again....... never at that school but I would encourage my girls to do ballet if they wanted to. (or my boys to do a sport they wanted to.---- Unfortuneately for my boys they have been told no contact sports for them for health reasons. too fine boned...... Oldest DS broke his arms playing basketball each arm a different year. when he broke the second one the Dr said no contact sports and that includes basketball. He was 16 at the time.

Now I would barter lessons if I could. I am currently taking on a family for piano lessons (I teach) because they can't afford to pay right now. the mother will do something for me in exchange.

**janelane** · 08-05-2008, 09:03 PM

Originally Posted by knotme

Now I would barter lessons if I could. I am currently taking on a family for piano lessons (I teach) because they can't afford to pay right now. the mother will do something for me in exchange.

I was going to suggest this. My mom does piano and voice lessons as a side job. She has two students whose mothers trade for lessons, one does massages, the other hair & nails. I got a "free" massage this way

If you have a skill or something you could trade for private lessons, I'm sure there's got to be someone else out there that does this.

**rachelj** · 08-05-2008, 09:23 PM

I know of a mom who helped supervise at lessons (I don't remember what kind). I figured that since a mom is trying to start the class that bartering was already worked out.

I did do swimming lessons this summer. DS was $25 for 2 weeks/30 minutes - it was pretty good. DD and I did the "mommy and me class. Lots of fun.

We live in a very small community - 2 stoplights and 1 grocery store- so there isn't a LOT nearby unless I am willing to travel, but with the price of gas....

I am not against putting my kids in activities. I am against overloading my kids and family with activities and against putting my family in a bind trying to pay for them. KWIM?

Thanks for the support!

I would love to do piano lessons for my kids sometime. We don't have a piano tho

.

**Holly** · 08-06-2008, 08:22 AM

Kenny played on little leauge during the summer.
Cost was a tshirt.
Other than that I don't believe in the hype of your kid needs this much time exercising. ( ok let them outside to play, its free and no other kids bothering him or me ).
He's 19 now 6 ft 2 and 170 pounds
At 2 years old or 4 years old I would say He!! No! and its no ones business why.
JMHO