This post was mostly written a month ago, but when my mother’s health started to fail, my blog was the last thing I had energy or desire to spend time on. Since she passed, several people have shared they felt they knew her from reading about her in my book (even though she insisted I remove half of the stories about her) or from reading her obituary.

My mom had many wonderful qualities, but the one I admired most was her contentedness. She described herself as “such a lucky person,” but it wasn’t because she had an easy life. She faced many challenges in 87 years. She made it through them because of her faith, family, good friends, music, books, and service to others.

My mom never told me to pursue a variety of interests, but I got the message. Because that’s how she lived. Children need to develop a variety of interests.. And that happens to be the intended lesson of this post.

When I was miserable in one of my first jobs after college, I spent a fair amount of time wondering if how I spent my free time could make me happier about my work. Now that I am older and wiser, I know that work rarely provides all of what we need to be fulfilled in our lives. Our family, friendships, and favorite activities can add value far beyond anything we get from work.

And just as adults can’t rely on work to provide all they need, kids can’t rely on sports.

I’ve written previously about the hidden costs of sports specialization and the importance of free play for kids. And I observed first-hand the importance of children having more than one interest when my daughter tore her ACL. She couldn’t play volleyball or basketball for almost a year, but she could play the piano and participate in the school play — activities she enjoyed that also assisted in the healing process.

So what happens to a young person who isn’t encouraged to explore various interests? A young athlete who spends most of their free time competing in a sport? For some, a professional career is truly their destiny, but forgoing all other interests can leave them empty when their sports career inevitably ends, sometime between the ages of 20 and 40.

As Will Leitch observes in a recent article about Scottie Pippen:

There is something about the life of a retired star athlete that is inherently sad. These are men and women who have been raised since they were children to do one specific thing, all the time, every day, at the highest level. They do this in front of the whole world to endless acclaim and incredible fortune for every minute of their life until, usually sometime in their 30s, their bodies break down. So they retire. And that, right there, is almost always the only thing we will ever know them for.

Many 20- and 30-year-olds are rethinking the importance they put on their careers. They realize that life is richer when we make time for people and activities we care about. I hope that those who choose to be parents demonstrate this through their own actions and also encourage their kids to explore a variety of interests.

Children learn about themselves, others, and gain life lessons by exploring a variety of sports, as well as other activities. If they find more than one activity that can bring them joy, they will never be lost, regardless of their chosen path. And if they are “lucky,” they will also be content.

Thanks, Scott!

Are you frustrated with today’s youth sports culture?

You’re not alone.

I wrote 50 Years in the Bleachers hoping to inspire parents of young children to change the narrative. Let’s be more thoughtful about how and when kids participate, so more of them can enjoy the many benefits of sport.

photo by Michelle Henderson on Unsplash

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