Anyone else's kids got extremely expensive hobbies?

I'll explain it differently.🙂

Some parents pack their kid off to some random activity with no other thought than it would be a bit of fun for them. A few of those parents are then taken completely by surprise when their dc turns out to be naturally very good indeed.

What are those parents to do? Try to provide the wherewithal for their dc to progress to a higher level, or let their child's ability for that activity to go to waste? If there is a shortage of family money, there is some funding available for the exceptional. You just have to find it, beg on bended knee for it, or qualify/audition for it.

They are not showing off their kids talents to all and sundry, and they are not doing it to keep up with the Joneses.

There are other parents who do make a big thing of throwing money at it, but their kids tend not to be quite as good as their parents expect them to be. 😂

I used to keep my gob firmly shut about what my dc was up to, and would only say something like 'Yeah, doing okay thanks' if someone specifically asked.

I detect a considerable hint of the pork pies from that mum about the Royal Ballet experiences. 😂Yeah, anyone can pay to go on workshops and the 'audition experience' days, but the actual associate programmes or summer schools? Not a cat in hell's chance unless your dc is exceptionally good. Boys stand a greater chance because there are far fewer of them, but still v hard.

Besides, the Royal Ballet School and the Royal Ballet Company are not the same thing at all.

I taught myself to coach whilst my child took part in her activity. I watched the coaches and learned how the athletes improved. I made friends with the coaches and asked questions. All in the time i spent waiting with the other mothers for our children. Once my own child left the others behind with natural ability i stepped in and worked with her to improve. We got to world level but by then it was about how much she wanted it and she didnt want it enough so we called it a day.

I also have done my fair share of volunteering in other sports. I coached free of charge 2 x per week plus weekend matches for any child that wanted it plus ran a football team from 8 years through to 16 yrs old winning county and league chapionships.

Ive done plenty of free coaching to back up my hatred of this monetising childrens sports coaching.

He started with Age of Sigmar Stormcast but now he’s doing 40k Space Marines. He’s setup with a desk with paints etc and spends hours on it. He’s also started wanting to go to events - but they are all over and need an adult with him as he’s only 14.
Rowing is cheaper as he does that with school and a club, but it involves driving all over, usually at the crack of dawn.

Snap! You have my sympathy 💐 We had 3 ponies up until recently on livery (just sold 1 and about to sell the other - at a huge loss of course as we absolutely never make any money with horses 🤣 ) so down to just 1 but unfortunately for me my daughter is already eyeing up horses... (she's 16 so off ponies in a few months)

Dancing. To be fair she is 20 now and been to dance college and is a professional dancer, so starting to make a return on my investment 😂

My daughter is a competitive showjumper. Her horses use up every penny of our money and every minute of our time. I love seeing her happy and enjoying herself, but the sacrifices we make are huge.

@AllIneedAreMyFamilyandDogs I agree. DS9 plays in a chamber group for fun with some friends who learn from the same teacher as he does. They are not particularly advanced and don't show much potential, but their parents are prepared to keep going with the music lessons because it's a good thing for these kids to be doing. As far as i can tell the kids don't find it demoralising to be playing alongside DS who wants to be a professional musician and is operating at a much higher level - if anything they feel like they have the better deal as they're not really under any pressure and can spread their time across activities as thinly as they want.

I think it's a shame to stop music lessons they enjoy just because they don't show potential, whatever that means. Potential for what? Professional musician? So if they aren't the next Beethoven it's not worth it? It's a great skill and I've found musical ability great for fun and social connection as an adult.

Oh no. We are headed this way!

Of course it can. But it can also be instilled by competitive sport, so why not?

Exactly, spot on.

My daughter does Elite Allstar Cheerleading
on the travel team so compete all around the UK, were taking her to Barcelona next year to compete!

Music, horse , competitive gymnastics .

Ten isn't too late to start if they have talent. People have started even later and succeeded. The reality is, and we were warned when our children started elite training, that even those who graduate from professional training, only a very small minority will go on to succeed professionally. But we had to give them that chance. From what I've seen of those that graduated, this has been very true.

They do have to have the right body type though, something that is purely down to genetics and luck.

Musical theatre is a great option for those who have dance skills and acting skills IMO.

It was actually full time ballet training with 15K fees per year, plus everything else that comes on top of it. And yes, their muscle structure and everything was assessed before they were accepted as part of the audition process. They intended to be a professional ballet dancer. Unfortunately, just before they turned 18, an injury took them out. However I think they learned a lot from the experience, were given the chance, and are now happy in another completely unrelated profession. I don't think education is ever a waste but I think it would have been an outrageous amount to spend on something that was only ever going to be 'just a hobby'. I suppose we all have to weigh the pros and cons of any activity.

Now there is a combination!

Actually my child attended the RBS summer schools on the recommendation of their teacher. They then auditioned 2 years later for the school and went there at the age of 11 as a boarder. They danced professionally in Europe and the UK for 10 years after graduating the RBS.
And it isn't true that you have to start as a toddler, my DC was 9 when they started ballet. We were sceptical about auditioning them for the school but they reassured us it was about potential and not ability and that turned out to be true

Wrt to polo - I took an estate tour a few years ago that explained how high goal / professional adult teams are run: team is made up of three professional players and a patron, who is a competent amateur that funds the team. Each match costs the patron around £10k, requires 2 or 3 ponies per player and they may play 20 to 30 matches a year.

There is no rule about not being able to wear wet race suits for a race. We certainly don’t change if there multiple heats to swim with little time to change and not sitting around for periods of time.

Depending on how the race suits are treated depends on how long they last. Rinsing with dechlorination solution and not wearing for any longer than necessary (call room/race maybe swim down) will help keep the suit water repellant and retain the compression.
A second suit for females is better because getting them on when dry is bloody hard work, getting a wet one back on without damaging it or yourself is nigh on impossible. It’s not so bad for the boys as theirs dry out much faster and they don’t have to drag it over so much body.

Snap

I dread to think how much it's all cost and continues to cost 😅

Allstar Cheer over here 😭 12 years of it- travelling across the UK and then Europe and then added on the USA back to back for the last 5 years. She coaches now so it was worth it, but I dare not even estimate what we spent over the years…

But you did teach yourself to coach, so how are you any different?

I had horses up until DC was born so I know the score. The day to day costs would be less (lessons are costing £60 per week for half an hour) but, I agree with you, it’s all the add ons.

i meet some people whose horses seem to live on fresh air having never been sick or sorry. I am yet to meet one of these horses, sadly.

Hahaha Warhammer!!
We had that for a bit.
Tiny little plastic bastards that cost £££££ and have to be painstakingly glued together on the kitchen table.
Glad to be rid of them.
What faction is your kid? Mine was Tau