With Spring Break nearly here and Summer Vacation on the horizon, parents might have a slightly easier time prying screens out of their kids' hands and nudging them out the front door. If your child doesn't currently have a favorite sport or exercise activity, take advantage of the warmer weather and help them discover a healthy hobby that will get their hearts pumping, their brains firing, and their Return on Life growing.
1. Discuss your child's interests.
Hobbies that are forced on a child -- even gently -- don't tend to stick. And bribing your child to practice their putting with promises of ice cream or extra tablet time isn't going to cultivate any life-changing passions.
Instead, talk to your child about their current interests. Let them direct the conversation. Be supportive of me-time activities like reading and art, as well as social activities like online gaming. But encourage them to add a little bit of wellness to their days. And broaden your own definitions of what a healthy activity for a child can be. Just because you were the high school quarterback doesn't mean your son will want to play team sports. But pairing your child's interest in photography with long nature walks or bike rides could be the start of a healthy habit that he develops into a lifelong exercise routine.
2. Try (almost) everything.
From soccer to baseball to tap dancing and cooking, kids have an entire world of potential healthy hobbies available to them. Saying "Yes!" to as many activities as possible will give your child a chance to explore and find their “thing.”
But "Yes!" can also be expensive. Your local rec department can be a great resource for low-cost, low-pressure introductions to sports and physical fitness. Your child's school might also offer clubs or intramurals for kids who aren't yet hardcore athletes. You could also use online classes and YouTube tutorials to help your child learn the basics of throwing a spiral or practicing yoga.
Even if your child does gravitate towards a specific activity, it might be best to resist the temptation to go "all in" with year-round commitments to club teams or expensive coaches. Many experts believe that burnout is a major factor in declining youth sport participation. And there's a growing body of research suggesting that youth sport specialization is leading to a rise in serious injuries.
Engaging in multiple healthy activities throughout the year can also add some variety to your child's schedule. They may not be equally good at every activity, but they'll also have a chance to work different muscle groups, improve overall coordination, and widen their social circles.
3. Avoid sunk-cost parenting.
The "sunk-cost fallacy" drives many investors to keep throwing good money after bad in the hope that an investment will suddenly turn around.
Of course, spending money to broaden your child's horizons and improve their health is never a bad investment. But one more month of private lessons at the batting cage isn’t going to turn Charlie Brown into Babe Ruth. Celebrate your child for trying. Embrace what you both learned. Have a laugh. And move on to something else.
Once your child does find activities that they enjoy, you might run into some short-term and long-term expenses that could affect your financial planning. Buying new soccer cleats every year might just fall under fun and games. But if your whole family gets into skiing, you might start to rethink your annual travel plans, or even where you want to retire.
Remember that, as your family’s hobbies and interests evolve, you can always count on our Life-Centered Planning Process to support your goals for your finances and your life.
