Anyone else's kids got extremely expensive hobbies?

[bjorni9]

What started as a casual club, has turned into a lifestyle. Mountain biking, 4x, bmx freestyle, bmx racing. It has saved my ND child's sanity, and drained my bank account. I buy and sell and work so much overtime just so we can continue. It is far better than any play therapy or council funded clubs we've ever received (especially for his mh and mood). Anyone else making big sacrifices for their kids' hobbies? If only football would've stuck!

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.

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.

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'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.

Totally agree @taxi4ballet
I've got 3 children who have all turned out to be better than average at their various extracurricular activities and I coach a sport myself, so I have a reasonable amount of experience of a few sports etc. In my experience, the majority of youngsters who are "serious" fall into it rather than it being some long term plan of their parents. Of course there are some. I expect we have all met the archetypal pushy parent who either did the activity themselves when young, or wanted to but couldn't, and is now determined that their offspring will be the next big thing whether they like it or not! And I've met a few parents who are clearly steering their children into activities that they approve of because they think it will enhance their social standing or the child's future prospects. But I would say they are in a minority. Most of the families I meet tell the "Well we took him to the local club for a taster session because his friends were going but we never expected it to become more than a once a week thing" type of story.
I can't deny that I have met some really toxic people in junior sports and performing arts including some parents who are massively over invested in their children's "careers". But they stand out in my memory because that is not what most of the people I know are like.

Yep! Not only is it financially expensive but she's now made a national team so we do a 90 mile round trip to train 6/7 days! I got my kid into sports to keep them off drugs and the streets...now I need to go on the streets and sell drugs to keep my kid in the sports!😄

I can't deny that I have met some really toxic people in junior sports and performing arts including some parents who are massively over invested in their children's "careers". But they stand out in my memory because that is not what most of the people I know are like.

You're clearly not involved with horsey people at the junior level 🥶😣🤦‍♀️

Allstar cheerleading !

Allstar cheerleading !

DON'T DO IT 🤣 I'm kidding, it's amazing, but we're only a year in and nowhere near the amount that some people spend yet, but it's easily £500 a month, and that's without competitions!

My son lives for the pump track on his dirt jumper bike. About to shell out for another set of knee pads and a £200 helmet. Worth it though as it keeps him happy and fit. He would love to race but I haven't heard of anything near us

Yup, as well as football, my son is obsessed with model trains. A brand new Hornby train ranges from £100 up. You can buy second hand but they hold their worth. Makes Christmas super expensive 🙈🙈 Especially when he says he’ll ask Father Christmas for certain models so that I don’t have to pay for them ❤️😩

Water polo, which is odd as they only wear tiny trunks, it's rjr travelling that costs and the clubs plural that they were in. Thankfully both at uni now and having to pay for themselves. I dread to think how much I spent over the years

One of my managers would agree with that.

Our 2nd DS did dance, ballet, tap and modern from age 6 to 15 ( ish) it wasn't the most expensive dance school ( had to pay for exams, dance shows, extra lessons for them, costumes and all the rest…) but i wasn't earning alot , my wages basically paid for dance , swimming for all of our DC, football for our eldest
When we had our DD, the dance school owner said-she’ll be dancing when shes 2-
err nope! Cant afford it! Luckily she wasn't interested, she loved to draw-that was her passion, paper and crayons are cheap!

Skating!

Only been expensive now coaching as basically.had 2 coaches who did fk all teaching and just rinsed me for thousands.
And now she has to relearn a lot of things.

But yeah...this week alone is £400 for a comp. 4 weeks to learn a new program as well, and then compete at the ki k she rrally badly imjured herself at in june.

I dislike that itbmeans im ap.at 4:30 am, then do a 40hpw job, then their other hobby as well. I have 2 autoimmine xonditions and perimenaupause. I am run odf ginseng

But at least she happy aye....

Cheer. She is on two teams and one of them competes internationally now 🫣😩 It is costing a small fortune

Same! Arghhhh ££££££😩

Dance, gymnastics and athletics clubs here. The lessons, costumes, tracksuits, competition fees and insurance! Plus private tutor..I spend 10k/yr on all of the above, one child

My parents wouldn't fund me to stay on and do A levels let alone expensive hobbies. They never had a car to ferry me around like a parcel. Even if they had it (which they didnt) it would never have occurred to them to indulge a child in that way. Money was family money.

Mine were into sailing - one now has it as part of his job - its been great - get your kids into sailing because they'll never have any money for drugs or alcohol !

@Tessasanderson

I hear you. I compete and coach down my rowing club. We have some absolute pain in the arse parents who force their kids to join as they see rowing as a prestigious sport. Never mind if the child actually enjoys it or not. Nothing worse then coaching disinterested kids. Even worse is listening to a parent who has watched a few youtube videos lecturing the coaches on crew selections and technique.

Ionically, given most people's perceptions, rowing is actually very accessible and affordable compared to other sports. Also, if your child shows genuine talent GB Rowing will be all over them inviting them to join the GB Start programme which opens up all sorts of assistance.

I was wondering if anyone else was a Pokemon parent. The travelling to regionals and world championships alongside the extortionate cost of the tiny pieces of card themselves…

Truly terrifying

You’ll regret it. My daughter excelled in skating. She’s grown now, and has no desire to go near the ice again. I thoroughly regret spending a huge pot of money on it over a period of 7 years. They grow up fast and your money is gone forever.

Fantastic to see all the hobbies and sports these children are engaging in. Much better and healthier than screens and hanging around doing nothing making nuisances of themselves. We did horses including DD’s horse travelling to various unis with her then back home in the holidays for more competitions. Yes it all costs a lot of money but when I see how she developed as an individual and how responsible she was it was worth every penny. Horse now aged 27 is retired living with DD where she settled with her family. DGD 3 is about to start on ponies!