jobo
Grandmaster
Il i hear is pushy parent, its no different to those who think its in the kids interest to make them learn piano or play soccer or what have you. It's always,seems to be the things the parent did or wished they had. Sure get them to try it, but if they would sooner play net ball, then that's what they should be doing with their timeCome back to me when you’re a parent.
I won’t be forcing them into a hobby, I’ll be mandating a life skill. If they wish to continue it as a hobby, all the better. They’ll only be required to do it until they’re proficient. Past that is their prerogative.
If we had a pool, lake or ocean in our backyard, swimming lessons would be mandated too. They’d go until they could prove they wouldn’t drown simply by being in water too deep to touch the bottom. If they chose to go further with it or compete in it would be their choice. SD is no different in my eyes. If they don’t like it, tough sh!t. I didn’t like my father bringing me to his auto repair shop and teaching me how to fix my own car after the initial newness of it all wore off. As an adult I now understand why. I didn’t like it when I had to read for 20 minutes every night either.
I have a duty to protect my kids and just as importantly to teach them to protect themselves when I can’t. If they don’t appreciate that at the time, oh well; they’ll thank me later. I’ll do the absolute best I can to get them to have fun, buy into it and not shove it down their throats. But if push comes to shove, so be it.