As families cut back in difficult times, one thing that seems to be going is kids' sports team participation. When a parent loses a job, or has a pay cut, the fees for summer camps, special leagues or even school teams are becoming burdensome, leaving some otherwise athletic kids at home on the couch.
Some of the organizations that sponsor kids' sports are trying to change the way they operate to make themselves more affordable to families who've fallen on hard times. Some are offering payment schedules, scholarships or (in what I consider not such a great idea) credit card payment options.
Nevertheless, many sports organizations report that participation is down by as much as 30-40% from recent years.
For kids in middle and high-school, who are exceptionally talented and hoping for college scholarships, this can be a serious crisis. but for kids who are playing mostly for fun or at earlier ages, it is hard for me to see this as a huge problem. One suggestion given by child psychologist, Matthew Parvin, is that families start playing informal games together or starting their own neighbor leagues or pickup games. I confess, sports have never been very important to me, but I can sympathize with the heartbreak of a child who really wants to play when mom and dad just can't afford the fees.
Have you had to cut back on any activities beloved by your kids to make your budget balance? If so, have you tried any strategies to compensate for what was cut? How have they worked out?
