We let our son quit youth sports to follow his passions and play and tinker at home. Nate preferred watching airplanes and building with blocks over baseball practice or Saturday morning soccer. Despite feeling that parental pressure about teamwork skills and future opportunities, we trusted his lead… I had my moments of worry. Should we push him? Would he regret it? Would we? Fast forward: Sophomore year, he tried running just to meet people after our move. What happened? That same boy who begged to skip team sports completely dedicated himself to running. Now as a senior, he’s an official All-American in the 5K (14:32), NEC Champion, State Champion, and New England Champion. Edited again to add, he’s now a two time All American in the 5k and runs D1xc and track and field in the Big 10. Follow your child’s lead! (COMMENT SPORTS TO READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE ON SUBSTACK) The research was right - children develop deeper skills when activities genuinely interest them. Your child’s unique ...