You’ve seen them: the parents whose minivans are covered in team stickers, always rushing to weekend games or meets. They often travel long distances—sometimes more than two hours—to support their young athletes. They juggle entry fees, volunteer shifts at concession stands, and fundraising for the team, selling everything from donuts to cookie dough.
And then there are the practices. On weeknights, as homework looms, their children are pushed to perform under coaches who may lack proper qualifications. If it’s not every evening, it’s at least three times a week, making family dinners a scramble. No one gets to eat at the same time or share a meal together on practice nights.
I refuse to live that way.
Watching these families, I realize this isn’t the life I want for my own kids. Let’s be honest: none of my children are destined for the Olympics. They aren’t the next Michael Phelps or Serena Williams, so I see no reason to sacrifice our family time for the sake of organized sports. Hence, my kids have never participated in such activities, and they won’t in the future.
What matters most to me is preserving our evenings and weekends. For instance, there’s a Tall Ships event happening this weekend, and we can drop everything to attend. We don’t have to wait for a soccer game to wrap up or worry about scheduling conflicts with practices. We can wake up whenever we want, free from the pressure of early morning matches. Plus, we never have to fret about sports interfering with our church commitments or brunches with friends we consider family.
When my partner, Jake, comes home, he doesn’t have to rush from practice to grab fast food. Instead, we can relax, eat as a family, and even go on spontaneous adventures like toad-hunting by the river when night falls. My other kids aren’t tied down by their sibling’s sporting commitments; we spend our quality time together, not waiting on the sidelines.
I understand that organized sports have their perks—children learn teamwork, resilience, and how to cope with disappointment. But I don’t want my kids to be couch potatoes. They engage in plenty of outdoor activities. Just last month, they climbed a mountain together, even our 3-year-old, using their own two feet. We often explore the woods next to the creek, searching for alligators and playfully calling sticks “logagators.”
They also enjoy kayaking. My 5-year-old has his own boat and navigates a calm lake, while my 7-year-old eagerly seeks out Class II rapids. We often take these trips with friends, allowing for social interaction amid the excitement of bass spotting and rapid riding.
Additionally, they participate in sports lessons, including figure skating with a former Olympian. He has left rinks due to overly competitive parents, and there’s no pressure for my kids to compete. Right now, they’re mastering the basics for an hour each week, and they absolutely love it. No travel to competitions or costly costumes—just fun, laughter, and family bonding. I even lace up my skates to help them out.
The core of our activities revolves around being together as a family. We cherish the time spent in each other’s company as much as we enjoy being active. You might call us clingy or homebodies, but in the limited time we have together, we want to be close. That means making sacrifices, and the biggest one is opting out of organized sports.
Am I a bit sad that my kids will miss out on T-ball, or that I won’t get to arrange adorable little baseball card-style photos? Yes, I do feel a twinge of nostalgia when I see pictures of toddler soccer teams chasing after a ball. It’s undeniably cute.
But we’ve made our choice, and we’re committed to it.
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Summary:
In this article, Mia Thompson explains her decision to keep her children out of organized sports. She emphasizes the importance of family time and experiences over competitive athletics, highlighting the joy of outdoor activities and lessons that focus on fun rather than competition. While she acknowledges the benefits of sports, she prioritizes togetherness and spontaneity in her family’s lifestyle.