What were you encouraged to do growing up?

[CrazyKell]

Hokie posted in another thread that she was encouraged to play the clarinet growing up. That made me wonder what others might have been encouraged (or forced) to participate in growing up.

For me, it was figure skating (until I was 15 baby!!! :lmao:) and piano lessons.

I am eternally grateful for my musical skills now but at the time I wasn't impressed. I just wasn't that committed but now I see the value in it and play every chance I get.

Sports wise I was interested in riding (horses), soccer, and hockey. I eventually got into horses and competed up until I was 21 but that was all on my own dime and own time.

[sherri_chickie]

Piano lessons, swimming lessons, anything sports wise I wanted to do. Piano was the one that was pushed on me when I had had enough though, now I wish I could play better.. need to remember.. "Mom knows best"

[neebelung]

My Gramma was very much a supporter of the arts (both literally/financially, and then fostering that love in me)...

8 years of piano lessons (which I still regret quitting)
Journalism classes
Photography classes
Art classes

And the general idea of conservation - water, electricity, the environment (recycling, etc...)

I owe my appreciation for all of these things to my Gramma, definitely....

[Cutty72]

I was encouraged (read forced) to help out with the farming and cattle. Granted I did (and still do) really enjoy this type of work.

As for school things... I was never forced to do anything. I was encouraged to do things such as speech, drama, and choir. (which is where I hit it off with the ladies) and I was allowed to play sports as I wanted, except football. Didn't get into that until my Sr year. Mom was afraid I would get hurt, and Dad wanted me on the farm to help with harvest.

I feel very fortunate that I attended a small school and was able to be part of all these extra cirrucular activities regardless of talent or having money or a "name".

[HokieDNA01]

Well I should add that I played Clarinet, Bassoon and Mellophone through college (total band geek). The clarinet was not really by choice...I wanted the French horn but it was too expensive. I also played softball and field hockey in jr. high/high school. My parents were very supportive of all my activities....just wish they were as cool as Azooom and put me on a bike early on. They knew I loved motorcycles but just thought it was a "phase"

[Rider]

Encouraged? My aunt bought me a rifle(.22lr) when I was 6 so I guess that could count as encouragement. My parents never pushed anything on us other than eating vegetables and doing well in school.

[CrazyKell]

Well I played field hockey and did various other things. But they were not encouraged by my parents at all. :(

Piano was not just encouraged but a requirement, as was figure skating. I'm not unhappy that I had the experiences, I just wish my parents had taken the time to ask me what I wanted.

I forgot to add jazz/tap was in that as well but that was done after a season thank god!

[Particle Man]

Percussion - I liked it though so it was okay.

And Martial Arts because I was a little prick when I was younger :lol: (ended up liking that too and got into teaching)

[Phenix_Rider]

Encouraged? My aunt bought me a rifle(.22lr) when I was 6 so I guess that could count as encouragement. My parents never pushed anything on us other than eating vegetables and doing well in school.

Yup... Pretty well the only constant was "Go To College!"
Everything else was "Have fun. Don't get hurt...too bad."

[Bluestreak]

Strongly encouraged (read forced) to participate in band. Faked playing the trombone for 6 years. Never could read a note. Something that as adult, I do wish I would have learned.

Also strongly encouraged follow my old man's footsteps and join the wrestling team. I did enjoy it and turned out to be pretty good at it.

Also played tennis and football.

Growing up on a farm (still live on one) I was REQUIRED to help out. I never minded doing the work and like Cutty, I still do it to this day. In fact, I have cows to feed now.

[marko138]

I was encouraged to be THE MAN. I'd say I succeeded. Thanks. Bye.

[karl_1052]

Encouraged? My aunt bought me a rifle(.22lr) when I was 6 so I guess that could count as encouragement. My parents never pushed anything on us other than eating vegetables and doing well in school.

I am with Rider. T
My parents supported me in stuff I wanted to do(football, motorcycles, etc) but never pushed anything on me.

[Tsunami]

I was forced into 10 years of piano lessons and am still not musically inclined. (For some reason my junior high school also thought I had a nice enough voice to be in their chorus after testing 3 elementary schools and seriously my voice sucks, I have a one octave range. )

Was also forced into Chinese lessons and math lessons for years. I can barely add up cards for blackjack now.

I asked for gymnastic lessons and art lessons though. Took a bit of gymastics and minimal art lessons. I wish my parents helped develop my artistic abilities more.

[HurricaneHeather]

Encouraged to do anything that was free. Discouraged to do anything that cost money :lol:

Played volleyball from 12-18 but I am not sure I was ever really encouraged or forced. My parents jut didn't want me to quit something if I had already started it.

I played the french horn in jr high.

I wanted to be in drama class but the advanced class was only during the same period as honors algebra. So no drama classes for me.

[njchopper87]

My parents were very lenient. If I wanted to do something they'd support me the best they could, although there were financial restraints. I did some art stuff for a year, I played baseball for a bit, and bowled a majority of the time. My dad brought home a pellet gun one day and we had some fun with that for a while.

I really wish I listened to my friends about how music class wasn't singing anymore in 8th grade.. I would be able to play the guitar in my closet right now.

[azoomm]

My parents discouraged college. They are both over-educated, and feel they didn't need degrees to be successful. I'm now in college.

I was in dance, music, voice lessons. All encouraged, but when they got expensive - suddenly they weren't supportive anymore :lol:

[Fleck750]

Trumpet, french horn, band orchestra, choir, softball, tennis and reading.

Wasn't forced into these, liked all of them. Trying to find a cheap trumpet to play again.

[HurricaneHeather]

My parents discouraged college.

My parents didn't discourage college, they discouraged student loans. But, they didn't have any money to give us for school....so they pretty much discouraged us from college. :lol:

[tached1000rr]

I was supported by my parent's in whatever I showed interest in, the two things that my mom introduced me to that was short lived and not something I wanted to do was cub scouts and playing musical instruments, I put the brakes on both. I was ALWAYS encouraged to attend college, in fact it was more of "when you go to college" vs "if I would."

[Rangerscott]

To graduate and get a job.


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/Blue_check.svg/600px-Blue_check.svg.png

[racedoll]

parent's parents :scared:

I was supported in whatever I chose to do or not do. I actually did the most of anyone in my family.

Oh, just thought of one, if you want to call it "forced"... when I turned 16 my step Dad made me learn how to change the oil in my car.

[Ninjakel]

Gymnastics
Cheerleading

and the biggie. Barrel racing :) from like age 4 to 18

[Kaneman]

Gymnastics
Cheerleading

and the biggie. Barrel racing :) from like age 4 to 18

I was not aware of that, very cool. Pics?

I was encouraged to learn how to ride a motorcycle and drive a car well and to know how to handle and be proficient with firearms of all types.

[Ninjakel]

There are pics...but my mom and dad have them. I gotta ask them to give me some of them.

[Curb]

I was encouraged not to wind up in jail...and I obliged my parents on that (and yet I am still figuring out how i didn't wind up in jail).

As far as sports encouragement...soccer, baseball and football

[derf]

My parents encouraged me yo play baseball, which I did all the way into HS, I really didnt care for it, but I was pretty good, and probably could have gotten a college scholarship if I really applied myself, but alas I was more interested in girls and other substances than throwing a ball around

[CrazyKell]

Gymnastics

Ooh I forgot about that one too. I faked sick after the chippy sat on my back to try and get me to do that splits. I think they took me out after that.

[mutley]

I was incurraged to travel did not understand then as was little thay geve me a ruck sack and a one way ticket to alaska ( i think i spelt that right)

[MILK]

Hmm...

Chosen FOR ME were:
Ballet (for 2 weeks :lol:)
I was a Brownie (for maybe a month - all we did was cut things out of milk cartons, Girl Scouts was MUCH more fun.)
Karate ( Took that for 2 years and liked it.)
Little league Baseball

Things I chose were:
Horseback riding - showed and taught lessons (English) until college. All I wanted to do from the time I was little was ride horses and I am so grateful that my parents supported me in that.
Track - I ran in HS and was awful but wanted to b/c my dad did.
Played the Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, and Alto Sax through college.

[skiergirl]

My parents encouraged anything I tried to do. I was never told 'I'm just a girl so i can't which is awesome. It helped me become so much more confident and excited to try new things.

I choose piano/organ when I was about 6 and after bugging for a while they realized it wasn't just a phase and they bought me both and I took lessons for 10 years. I also played trombone & Saxophone in school. They didn't have a lot of money so I realized much later just how much they had to save and do to buy me those instruments.

Financially most of what I wanted to do/try was on me to figure out how. I think that taught me the best lesson of all...

[Apoc]

hmmm... I was encouraged to do a lot. I never did much of it. Who needed hobbies when you had alcohol, drugs, and a friend who's parents went away every weekend, so his mom could get nailed by his dads best friend.

But, I was allowed to do whatever I wanted. Hockey, boxing, martial arts. If it gave my parents a night of knowing where I was and what I was doing, they were all for it :lol: