Do you think children should be forced or encouraged into sports? While forcing children into sports might seem a little harsh, it could push them in the right direction. Encouraging children doesn’t always successfully get them willing to participate in the sport, but it is less harsh. Which is better in the end?
I have interviewed various athletes to ultimately decide whether you should encourage or force your kid to play a sport.
Sophomore Teagan Schutte stated, “As a child, my mom encouraged me to play City League Softball. I stuck with it because I truly enjoyed it, not because I was forced to.”
In some cases, forcing children to play a sport can be harmful. It can actually lead them away from playing sports.
“I was forced into dancing, and now I want to quit so bad. I used to love dancing, but after years and years of being forced into it, I’ve lost my love for it,” Elise Christy, sophomore, shared.
When being forced to play a sport, it can create a negative stigma around sports in general, sometimes inducing stress (PubMed).
Shayla Schmidt, a sophomore, shared, “I would never want to lead my future children away from playing sports, which is a possibility if you force them. I would personally just raise them around sports, and when they get old enough, they can choose what they want to do, but of course, I would encourage them to play at least one sport.”
Sports can be very beneficial to children’s development. They boost social interaction and are a good source of exercise. It is recommended that children between the ages of 5 and 17 should take part in moderate or vigorous activities for at least 60 minutes each day (PubMed).
“Children should be active, and sports are a good way to ensure that. I think my future children need to try to play at least one sport, and if they don’t like it, that’s okay, but I would never want to force them so harshly to the point where they no longer like sports,” Teagan Schutte, sophomore, stated.
AP Seminar writer, Eva Zumwalt, a sophomore, wrote, “Forcing your child to do something they don’t want to do will potentially make them suffer. Encouraging, on the other hand, can help a child explore new options, seek new interests, and grow as a person. Parents who want their kids to play a sport should start positively pushing them to get involved and find a hobby they enjoy.”
When considering the possible outcomes, do you think you’ll force or encourage your children into sports?
This story was written in collaboration with Eva Zumwalt’s research report.
