As parents, we sign our kids up for activities hoping they’ll love them, that they’ll find their passion, their people, their place. But what happens when they don’t?
What if they enjoy something at first, but the excitement fades when effort is required? What if they try an activity, grow from it, and then decide to move on? Does that make the experience any less valuable? Absolutely not.
Growing up, I tried it all—piano, violin, voice, flute, karate (hello, black belt!), horseback riding—you name it. Some things I loved, some things I didn’t, but every single one shaped me. Each experience, whether it lasted months or years, became a part of my story. And now, as a mom, I see the same happening with my own kids.
Years ago I signed Baylee up for soccer….. I even made bows for the whole team and as they ran across the field the bows fell right off. I didn’t realize that those moms didn’t carry bobby pins! Baylee LOVED the drills but didn’t enjoy the actual game so one season came and went and onto the next. Brooklynne did horseback riding …loved it until she had sweat in her helmet…umm hello it ruined her hairstyles! I just signed Austyn up for Little Rookies….they are 2 years old. I’m just happy to buy him his first costume for practice on the field. My hope is that he has fun…my hope is WE have fun as a family for whatever stories will come out of it. The stories are WHAT WE KEEP, the rest just fades.
The truth is, success isn’t just about finding a lifelong passion. It’s about learning, growing, and taking something meaningful from each experience. It’s about showing up, putting in effort, and learning how to handle both excitement and challenge. It’s about creating chapters in stories that make up a story…our story…THEIR story.
Take each moment, each activity, each performance, each class, each game, and remember time is NOT a thief. Papa Chin says time is life’s greatest gift. Let’s find the memory in everything, every day and every moment. Don’t gauge the success of an activity by the space it takes up in our life but by the generosity of stories it added to our lives. Likes bows falling off heads in the middle of a soccer game, or your child laying on the stage in the middle of recital not dancing, or the fight in the parking lot only to walk in at pick up and watch them living their best life in the classroom LOL—you know it!!!!!
So maybe one day, your child won’t dance forever—but those everyday moments? Those are why we opened our doors. My great hope is they’ll remember the confidence they built, the friendships they made, or simply the joy they felt in the moment….above all else my great hope is they say “I danced, I learned and I have a story…….” And that? That’s a win in my book.
Joy for each day and peace for your journey,
XOXO
Miss Jennifer
