31 Oct 2024

Parenting: when kids want to quit sport or other activities

From Nine To Noon, 11:25 am on 31 October 2024

What is the right way to deal with your kids wanting to quit a sport or an extracurricular activity?

Whether it's their first year doing it, or they've been working at it for a decade, it can be a difficult territory for parents and kids to navigate.


Sport NZ surveys show kids from 5 to 11 are usually the most active participants in sport, while there is a big dropoff once they reach ages 15 to 17.

So, keep dragging unwilling kids to their sports or let them let it go?

Kathryn Berkett has her Masters in Educational Psychology and runs her practice Engage which she uses to teach others about using neuroscience in everyday life.

Football match for children. Training and football soccer tournament

Photo: 123RF