The Rising Cost and Diminishing Value of Kids' Activities: A Parent's Perspective

Not medical advice. For emergencies, call your local emergency number.

This post on Reddit’s r/Parenting highlights a growing concern among parents: the increasing cost and perceived decrease in value of children’s extracurricular activities like sports, dance, and theater. The original poster (OP) argues that while these activities are becoming significantly more expensive, they increasingly rely on parent volunteers to perform essential roles, from coaching to costumes, without offering any cost reduction. The OP details personal experiences where fees for activities like football and theater are high, yet the quality of instruction is questionable, often delivered by inexperienced individuals while the ‘organizers’ profit substantially. The contrast is drawn with past experiences where such activities were more community-focused, with organizers being passionate volunteers or making modest incomes, unlike the ‘big business’ model described today. The core question raised is whether these activities are truly for the benefit of the children or primarily a lucrative venture for those in charge, with parents bearing the brunt of both the financial cost and the labor.

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