Rant: weekend soccer is ruining our family life

Dec 121 min read

Every single Saturday and Sunday from March to November is booked solid. My 9yo plays on two teams (don't ask why, long story), my 7yo just started, and it's consumed literally everything. We haven't done a family hike in months. We can't commit to anything. And the worst part? She doesn't even like it that much. She only does it because her friends do. I need to have the hard conversation with her but I'm dreading it.

11 comments160 views

Comments(11)

CChris N.RegularDec 12

I get that kids need activities but not at the expense of actual family time. You need to sit down and figure out what's non-negotiable here because right now everything is negotiable and that's the problem.

WWes B.RegularDec 13

This killed us too until we made a hard rule: one activity per kid per season, period. Game-changer. Now we actually have Sunday mornings sometimes.

WWill R.RegularDec 14

lol same situation here and honestly the real solution is having a Come-To-Jesus with your 9yo about the two teams. Kids don't actually want to do two sports—that's almost always a parent thing.

DDan W.RegularDec 13

Yeah I need more context on why two teams. Because unless he's a legit elite athlete (and even then, questionable), this is hurting more than helping. You're losing weekends with your whole family for what exactly?

OOscar D.New DadDec 13

March to November is insane. Two teams for a 9yo is wild—I get it was a "long story" but is he actually INTO both teams or is this a you/ex thing at this point?

KKenny W.RegularDec 14

The two-team situation is the real problem here. One team per kid is already full-time but double that? That's not parenting, that's logistics. Can you have a real conversation with your kid about picking one?

DDex J.New DadDec 14

The thing that helped us: we told both kids "one activity per season, you pick." Takes the pressure off and they're actually more invested because they chose it. Plus you get weekends back.

JJason K.New DadDec 12

What does your wife think? Is she also drowning or is this a thing she wanted? Because that conversation matters. If you're both dying, that's the leverage to actually change it.

DDante J.New DadDec 14

We were in this exact situation last year. March-November every weekend, no breaks. It actually damaged things. We cut back to one team per kid and suddenly we had Sundays again. Highly recommend the hard conversation with your wife about priorities.

MMatt W.RegularDec 14

Real question: does your 9yo even want two teams or is this something you/your wife pushed? Because I've seen kids who'd rather just play but parents stressed about "options" and "competitive level" end up burning them out.

SSteve L.RegularDec 14

Two teams for a 9yo is insane. I say this gently: you gotta cut one. Your family time is worth more than your kid's travel team resume. Talk to your wife and just pick one. Your 7yo doesn't even have a choice yet, so pick their ONE and 9yo gets ONE.