I teach golf to a lot of kids-hundreds over the last 10 years. I have never had anyone refuse to take lessons because fees were too high. I have always prided myself on understanding financial difficulties families may have and working with families to make sure they can “afford” lessons. I often offer an extra lesson for free and always make up any lessons missed because of the weather. But I was thinking about all of the other activities kids participate in and the costs associated with them. I belong to a Facebook group of Golf Teaching Professionals and one of them posted this on the page. It is from a conversation he had with another parent. The question was:
“Why do you pay so much money for your kids to do all their sports”? Here was his answer. “ Well I have a confession to make; I don’t pay for my kids to do sports. Personally, I couldn’t care less about what sport they do.
So, if I am not paying for sports what am I paying for?
- I pay for those moments when my kids become so tired they want to quit but don’t.
- I pay for those days when my kids come home from school and are “too tired” to go to their training but they go anyway.
- I pay for my kids to learn to be disciplined, focused, and dedicated.
- I pay for my kids to learn to take care of their bodies and equipment.
- I pay for my kids to learn to work with others and to be good teammates, gracious in defeat and humble in success.
- I pay for my kids to learn to deal with disappointment when they don’t get that placing or title they’d hoped for, but still, they go back week after week giving it their best shot.
- I pay for my kids to learn to make and accomplish goals.
- I pay for my kids to respect, not only themselves but other athletes, officials, and coaches.
- I pay for my kids to learn that it takes hours and hours, years and years of hard work and practice to create a champion and that success does not happen overnight.
- I pay for my kids to be proud of small achievements, and to work towards long-term goals.
- I pay for the opportunity my kids have and will have to make life-long friendships, create lifelong memories, to be as proud of their achievements as I am.
- I pay so that my kids can be out on the field or in the gym instead of in front of a screen…
…I could go on but, to be short, I don’t pay for sports; I pay for the opportunities that sports provides my kids with to develop attributes that will serve them well throughout their lives and give them the opportunity to bless the lives of others. From what I have seen so far I think it is a great investment!
