We had a family "meeting" (it's always so informal, I hesitate to say meeting, lest you think we run some sort of strict agenda at these things, LOL) the other day - discussing the merits, the benefits, of different learning experiences.
DH grew up playing team sports: soccer, hockey, lacrosse, rugby... just to name a few.
I grew up playing none of these; taking piano lessons and playing centerfield in softball (which dh argues isn't really much of a teamsport), and later as a teen as a cheerleader. I babysat for neighbours, I delivered newspapers on my bike for probably 4 years and then worked part-time mid-teens onwards... so okay, not much 'team sports' there.
The discussion arose because there are two opportunities in front of our children: for each of them, weekly half-hour piano lessons. Sure, I'm a little biased, having taken piano lessons for years as a kid myself, but I really had to sell the benefits of having musical skills to dh (not to the kids, they were already both excited about the prospect). Second opportunity is for ds, who's 9: weekly casual hockey lessons at the rec ctr... at a reasonable hour of the day, no less. Okay, again I'm biased because I've never played on a hockey team, but I hear stories of other parents getting up before dawn and sitting in the cold stands at the arena to watch practices and games... not my cuppa, so I had long ago said if dh was sooooooo bent on ds playing hockey, *he* would have to be the one here to drive him. B/c you see, dh is a GOOD... no, FANTASTIC, hockey player. As a teen he played Junior B and okay, I can't skate to save my life, but he's really REALLY good and was pulled out because his grades fell and his parents felt they had no choice but to take away the one thing he felt passionate about... hockey. So to this day, he is bitter (despite counselling) about how his hockey career was cut short, and since our ds's birth, has been a vocal proponent of having ds play hockey. DS hasn't been asking for hockey, but when dh presented him with this series of classes, ds said he'd like to try it. I don't have an issue with it, being that it's at a reasonable hour of the day, and is casual... not too competitive, like I hear the league is. I have no issue with team sports; I guess I have an issue with competition, now that I think more about it. In the end, ds is going to take this 9 week hockey class, and both children are going to take some piano lessons - I suggested a one year commitment... so that they learn to read music. What they do after that is up to them, but if we're going to go ahead, I wanted to have a trial commitment. Sounds like both activities are a go... and it was a great family discussion.
How's your week going?
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