Anything that you wish your parents forced you to do?

[START]

I wish that my parents would have forced me to go to Violin practice.
I remember very clearly my Mom signing me up for lessons and at first I was happy to go until some kids told me that the Violin was a "geek" instrument.
I can play it a little because I was going to the lessons Wednesdays and Saturdays for up to 3 hours for almost 5 months but I told my Mother that I didn't want to go to practice anymore and I refused to get in the car to go to practice, then after a few times of refusing to go to practice my Father told my Mom not to waste her money on taking me to Violin lessons. I gave it up for what; so I could play more Video games with my friends?
Now my brother who is 14 actually stuck with it and is really good, he played "Flight of the Bumble Bee" at his recital it sounded soooo tight, and he is not a Geek.
I am somewhat jealous that he can play it so well because I should have stayed with it because the Violin is actually a pretty cool instrument. Then I saw my old Violin teacher at the recital and it was so awkward because the last time I saw her I was such a jackass to her.
After Violin practice was out of the way I did end up sticking with some stuff, like Drums, Hip Hop 101 and Basketball.
So now I can play the drums but I'm average at best and I'm pretty good at basketball but not very tall so I doubt I will be in the NBA and I can breakdance but that will probably only last me until I am in my early 30's so I wish that my Mom would have dragged me kicking and screaming so that I could have learned to play the Violin.

[Eleusis]

I don't know if I can narrow it down to a single task I wish they had forced me to do, but I damn sure with they had instilled a greater work ethic.

Yes, it's their fault I'm lazy.

[RumMunkey]

I'm with you, START. I wish my parents had gotten me into music at a young age. Now that I'm older I try but it's so much harder now.

That and I wish they'd pushed me a bit better in sport. Again, I'm trying to do everything I can now that I am older but I wish I had a lot more exposure as a kid.

I'm also a little anti-social at times which I think would have also been solved in sport.

[Sublight]

Speak French. Hell, it's my father's native language. Unfortunately, he was worried that growing up with two languages would stunt my progress in both and only used English.

[Martiju]

Originally Posted by START

I wish that my parents would have forced me to go to Violin practice.

Of course, if they'd forced you to do it, perhaps you wouldn't have had the motivation to do it well anyway.

[don't ask]

Originally Posted by Martiju

Of course, if they'd forced you to do it, perhaps you wouldn't have had the motivation to do it well anyway.

That isn't necessarily true you know. I know two very good musicians who both credit their mothers with forcing them to attain a certain level of proficiency before they could quit. By the time they had reached the required grade on piano they had both become keenly desired musicians by the guitarists at school and both still play.

I was forced by my parents to learn to swim, for safety reasons, and although I recall hating reaching the standard they required, by the time I had I loved swimming and swam competitively for some years.

[Anaamika]

I wish they had forced me into learning an instrument.

Now, don't get me wrong. My parents forced me into dancing, speaking my own language, being less shy, writing thank-you notes, etc., etc....the list goes on and I am grateful for every one of them, but...

I still wish I had learned an instrument. And learned to sing. I don't think I'd ever be a good singer, but at least I would have trained my voice a little.

[Incubus]

Originally Posted by don't ask

That isn't necessarily true you know. I know two very good musicians who both credit their mothers with forcing them to attain a certain level of proficiency before they could quit. By the time they had reached the required grade on piano they had both become keenly desired musicians by the guitarists at school and both still play.

I was forced by my parents to learn to swim, for safety reasons, and although I recall hating reaching the standard they required, by the time I had I loved swimming and swam competitively for some years.

My parents kind of forced me into learning the piano. I say 'kind of' because the day we bough a piano my mom asked me, "Would you like to learn how to play the piano?" and I said, "yes" and that kicked off seven years of lessons. Whenever I said I hated it and want to stop, my mom reminded me that I was the one who wanted to do this all along. I was convinced she only had me take lessons so she could impress her family and friends. I was a pretty defiant and stubborn 7 year old boy, but my mom fought this by being even more stubborn than I was, which simply wore me down to the point of "Fine, whatever, I don't care" and played the damn piano since

I'm really glad she forced it on me, though, because I wouldn't have stuck with it for so long (the same goes for college). I'm no virtuoso at it, but I have gotten to the point where I can teach other children how to play, which is a pretty fun job.

I'd say the only thing I wished my parents did was force me to try for AP/Honors classes in High School (I certainly could have done well in them with enough motivation) and take college classes in High School at a point where I'd only have to pay for the book and not the tuition. With both of those put together, I probably would've been done with college a semester or two earlier.

[swampbear]

I don't know so much about wishing my parents had forced me to do something they didn't but I am so glad they forced me to do some of the things I learned to do. Such as, writing thank you notes and learning how to properly write notes for other occasions such as congratulatory and sympathy notes and letter. I'm glad they forced me to learn basic table manners. I'm glad they taught me the difference between inside and outside voices. I'm glad my mother took the time to teach my brothers and me to cook. Overall, I'm glad they took the time to instill some sense of civil behavior in me. Even when I don't act right, I know it's not because I don't know any better.

[Black Train Song]

Go to the dentist and stay in school, both of which I had to go back and fix in my adult life. Now look at my smile!

[Revtim]

I wish they had forced me to get braces for my teeth. Yeah, I can do it now, but it would be nice if it was already done.

[cornflakes]

College.

There were several family issues that came to a head around the time that I graduated from high school and these took my parents' attention. Mom encouraged me when I went to school a few years later, but I wish they had pushed me into a college right after high school.

[The Big Cheese]

floss
learn an instrument

[Guinastasia]

START, what's stopping you from taking up the violin again?

[Dante]

Originally Posted by START

...I can breakdance but that will probably only last me until I am in my early 30's...

You say that as if you have to prepare for a career after your breakdancing job is done.

[Infovore]

I wished they'd forced me to take up a musical instrument (particularly electric guitar or drums, but that probably wouldn't have been their choice ). I took organ lessons (briefly) and trumpet in grade-school band (even more briefly) but when I wanted to quit they caved quickly and let me. I wish they'd pushed me harder, because it would make learning music now, many years later, easier.

I also wish they'd have signed me up for some sort of physical-fitness type activity (soccer, martial arts, whatever). I hated PE when I was a kid and ended up gaining a lot of weight through college and after that I've only lost in the past couple of years.

[Incubus]

I'm surprised the common thing among many dopers here is music. I never realized so many people regretted their prarents didn't push them more in favor of it. That actually makes me feel really happy that I did not give up at the piano, even though there were many times when I was tempted.

As a side note, I'm a piano teacher myself. A lot of times when I get quits, it is because the parents tell me their child doesn't want to take lessons anymore. When I ask them how they feel, they meekly confess that they don't want to force their child to do anything. While I wouldn't wish a childhood full of misery on anyone, I think the parents are forgetting where they stand in this matter. THEY are the rulemakers, not the child. They establish policy, and the child follows it. The real flip-floppers this past election were not presidential candidates, they were parents who told their child they were going to take piano lessons for a year, then cave 2 months later when the child whines that he/she doesn't want to spend a mere thirty minutes a day practicing/taking lessons

[Zsofia]

I'm [b]glad[/i] my parents pushed me into piano (I minored in it in college, even) and to the orthodontist. Good job, folks, although I sure hated you at the time.

I wish they'd pushed me into sports or athleticism of some kind. I think I might have a healthier attitude toward competition and be better coordinated and healthier now.

[Agrippina]

I wish my mom forced me to keep learning the piano. But she was the one teaching me and says that she's too impatient to be a teacher.

[Lobsang]

I wish my parents had encouraged (not forced) me more to go to martial arts lessons.

I wish teachers had told me that one day I might wish I had joined the school cricket team.

[hocow]

I wish I had been put into dance lessons, preferably jazz. I just took a dance class as my phys ed requirement for college ad thought it was alot of fun.

[furthur]

Actually, I wish my parents had made me do more chores around the house.

Seems insane, but I might do better around the house now -- not be such a slob, and have a better sense of organization, etc. -- if I'd had to clean my room more regularly, plus do other chores like washing dishes, etc. I basically taught myself to cook and clean, and I think especially cleaning-wise it's taken me a while to learn how to do it *intelligently*. You know, dust before vacuuming, and stuff like that.

Mrs. Furthur

[START]

Originally Posted by Guinastasia

START, what's stopping you from taking up the violin again?

That's a good question because I really don't know...I don't think I would be able to put the same amount of time into it and I don't have a Violin anymore, My brother got his brand new Violin for free from his teacher because she said he deserved a new instrument. When I get a Violin I will go for it again.

As far as Breakdancing this is what I see happening;

START: When I was a teenager I could spin on my back.
Grandson: Oh cool Grandpa, show me.
START: OK, I'll try
Moments later...
START: OOOOOOOOOOOH I've fallen and I can't get up.

[E. Thorp]

Originally Posted by Sublight

Speak French. Hell, it's my father's native language. Unfortunately, he was worried that growing up with two languages would stunt my progress in both and only used English.

I know how you feel. My father's native language is German and he never spoke it with me. I'm not sure why; he never seemed to think that being bilingual would stunt my progress. My best guess is that after 3 years in America (and married to an American, but my mother knows German so they spoke it at home) he finally left his lonely lab and got a research job where he had to speak English with coworkers all day, so he just got in the habit of English himself.

Anyway, he's occasionally expressed regret that I don't know German...he even seems surprised at this, as though German should have already been written in my DNA or something. I've pointed out to him that if I didn't learn German, it was no one's fault but his. Still, after the age of 25 you're not allowed to blame your parents for anything, so I'm slouching toward acceptance (and yes, I've studied some German as an adult).

[rorty]

I would have appreciated it had I been encouraged to continue in school basketball and possibly baseball. I'm a pretty big guy -- 6'6" and very broad -- and I was always an excellent shot and solid passer. I think I could have done quite well at the high school and possibly college level had I kept up my game past junior high school. Plus I'd be a lot healthier; and probably be more successful with the ladies. I'm not really even sure why I quit in the first place.

A bit sterner prompting in developing my musical talents would have been appreciated as well. I started with drums in grade school, but quit because my drum case was too heavy to be lugging back and forth from home to school. I think I could've been a kick ass drummer! I've been told I have a "drummer" personality (whatever that means lol). The more I get into listening to music, the more I wish I had at least some ability to play what I hear.

However, I should state I'm very pleased with the manner in which my parents raised me. They were always very open minded around me -- letting me choose my interests and giving me a lot of space. Plus, I can always play pickup games with the gym rats and learn the drums on my own.

[Zoe]

rorty, ever think about lessons in percussion now? (I've just been listening to Mickey Hart and I'm trying to imagine what it must be like to be able to do that!)

[rorty]

Originally Posted by Zoe

rorty, ever think about lessons in percussion now? (I've just been listening to Mickey Hart and I'm trying to imagine what it must be like to be able to do that!)

Actually, I have been considering it. I have a lot of musical friends and I've felt like the odd man out on plenty of occasions. I just might take some lessons and see about getting into it. If not, my roommate has offered to teach me guitar, which is something I'd love to learn given the time.

[kambuckta]

When I was 15, I was accepted into a *Selective* high school (government-funded schools for academic high-achievers). At the time I was going through a bit of a teenage lefty-radical stage, reading books like Deschooling Society and Summerhill that challenged the value of conventional schooling in favour of more alternative models.

The school did not quite agree with my educational principles you might say, so after three months I *told* my mum I was leaving to find another better suited to my unique abilities and attitudes. God, I was an obnoxious snot back then.

Anyway, she didn't argue with me, and I wish she had. My whole life might well have turned out quite differently if I'd gone the conventional route of education.

[Martiju]

Originally Posted by me!

Of course, if they'd forced you to do it, perhaps you wouldn't have had the motivation to do it well anyway.

Originally Posted by don't ask

That isn't necessarily true you know.

Hence the 'perhaps'...