7 Times It’s OK to Encourage Your Kids to Quit Something

Emotional red flags

Activities of any kind—even when they aren’t physical, like sports—can get kids moving, socializing, and finding their interests. But, what if you sign up your child for the soccer team, only to find out that, after three practices, he doesn’t enjoy it? John Mayer, PhD, author and clinical psychologist at Doctor on Demand, recommends children stick it out for as long as possible to teach the value of commitment, but also encourages parents to watch for warning signs of emotional distress. “If the activity is causing stress or hardship in the child, then a parent needs to reevaluate the usefulness of participation,” says Dr. Mayer. “Is this activity still fulfilling the purpose you signed them up for?” According to Dr. Mayer, parents should keep an eye on emotional red flags that could signal that an activity is doing more harm than good, such as loss of sleep, decreased appetite, signs of depression, and fear and/or temper tantrums associated with the activity. At this point, it may be best to drop the activity.