Parent power: Hobby time

From riding and football to karate and hip-hop, children’s passions are marvellously mercurial, so how much do you commit to hobby time?

No parent wants to stifle latent talent or extinguish the dreams of a child set on riding for Team GB, scoring the winning goal at Wembley or wowing the Royal Albert Hall with electric dance moves. But nurturing childhood passions takes time and cash – and outlay all too often outlasts enthusiasm. A 2019 study by the consultancy GKP estimated average costs of £1,500 a year and three hours a week were devoted to each child’s out-of-school pastimes by the UK’s devoted parents.

Try before you buy
Children are like sponges, so it’s natural that their interests wax and wane. Support and encourage, but don’t over-commit until you are sure of reasonable staying power. This is where well-run school extracurricular programmes are so invaluable, offering taster sessions and ‘have a go’ opportunities that boost confidence and expand horizons while also helping children shortlist favourites.

Out-of-school clubs or classes can be a different matter, so don’t sign up without reading the small print. Look for settings that don’t demand large up-front commitments of cash or time, offer some flexibility on attendance, and give free or discounted trial sessions. Use the parent grapevine for feedback – is this a fun place that children look forward to returning to each week?

“Nurturing childhood passions takes time and cash – and outlay all too often outlasts enthusiasm”

Muster a group
Successful out-of-school commitments often happen when children join a club or session with friends or siblings. This may also mean parents share the burden of transportation and it guarantees buddies who can ease social pressure and build confidence with unfamiliar settings and challenges. 

Mustering a group can also bring good deals that ease the cost – sibling discounts are not uncommon, and joining forces with other parents to share and pass on kit and equipment makes financial sense.

Manage their time
With a full school schedule and ever-growing homework commitments, children need down time – so no wonder extracurricular overload is a perennial topic on parent forums. It’s fine to have a frank conversation with your child about taking away an activity, with the reassurance that they can pick it up again later. Giving an either-or choice on which hobby to drop will help them focus on what they really enjoy.

Children can and do go off things overnight. Sometimes it’s an age and stage shift, but often you’ll have no idea why. Forcing a child to carry on with activities they no longer enjoy is counter-productive, so even if your private daydreams of their victory with Team GB or dance moves on the Albert Hall stage crumble to dust along with the hobby, bow out gracefully and console yourself with the thought of the free evenings you’ll be getting back.

Further reading: Parent power: ‘I’m so bored