Are Sports a Necessity?

Not all families are “sporty” families and not all children play sports. However, with the growth and development of youth sports for younger and younger kids, and the evolving competition levels for youth sports—it can seem that being involved in sports has taken center stage in terms of what “normal” family activities are. Just consider the term “soccer mom” and all the references to youth sports in popular culture. But, does a child HAVE to play sports to develop normally and should parents be concerned if a child is not interested or involved in sports during childhood? Really, the most … Continue reading

Keeping Up With Changing Interests

If life is all about adjusting to change, then family life is an intense, crash-course in constant change and upheaval. Just when we think we know our child and we can describe him or her to others as the “child who…” everything changes. As parents, it can feel like a losing battle trying to keep up with those ever-evolving and constantly changing interests. If I had a dollar for each time I’ve heard “I’m just not into that any more” from one of my kids during these teenage years, I probably wouldn’t have to be so frugal and concerned about … Continue reading