Father refuses to support his daughter’s ever-changing hobbies: ‘I just can’t keep giving in and pouring into different things that she won’t stick with. I have 2 other daughters that it’s also taking away from’

Author image for Olivia Arocena
Olivia Arocena • Writer and Editor
Sep 27, 2026 1:45 PM EDT

We have to be very careful differentiating between a lack of discipline and simply not liking a sport

Parents sometimes want something for their kid and forget to ask them if they want it. That's what I assume it's happening to the father in this story.  His daughter doesn't strike me as volatile; she plays sports, she achieves relative success, I think she might not like it as much, and that's about it.

To me, there has to be a time in life when you're allowed to try many different things without being judged for it. Being young is your time to explore, to find out what you're good at, what you're bad at, what you like, what you don't. Not everyone is born with a clear path in mind or knows what they want to do or what sport they want to play from a young age. Some people have to search for it, and the way to search is by trying.

After much exploring, then you can work on being disciplined. At least, that's how I think about it. I remember my dad was also really strict about me trying a new hobby, and that only made everything worse. I started every new activity with guilt and wanting to be the best at everything to justify trying it in the first place. It wasn't good; I wish I had been free to experiment.

I guess you can only solve something like this through talking; I don't think decisions like these should be one-sided. I imagine the daughter has something to say about this, and it's the father's job to provide a safe space for her to do so; maybe he learns something important about her wants and needs!

Do you think this girl's problem is discipline? Or does she need to try something different than what her father wants for her?

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  • GUARDIANS
    via Jonathan Borba

    The father refusing to support his daughter's hobbies

    Not actual story subjects



     

  • AITAH for not supporting my daughters extracurricular

    Quick backstory my daughter currently 11 years old and in the 5th grade has decided she doesn't want to play in the upcoming softball season. She's played 2 previous seasons but suffered a broken hand and missed
    via Sad-Negotiation2786
  • most of one season. Even when she was able to play she took every chance she got to go and hang out in the stands and not be with her team. In the past she's also played 1 season of soccer but spent all of her time in the stands with her
    via Sad-Negotiation2786
  • mom. 1 season of cheerleading where the results were almost identical to the soccer season. She was upset after her last softball season because she felt like she
    via Sad-Negotiation2786
  • wasn't given an opportunity to actual play once she healed from her injury. During the time of the injury she missed all games and practices while all the other girls showed up and put in the work. I offered to get her private
    via Sad-Negotiation2786
  • lessons for 1 hour every weekend and she decided she wanted to go. So I set it all up and she was excited for the lessons when she was at my house on our weekends. I'd ask early during the weeks she was at her
    via Sad-Negotiation2786
  • mom's if she wanted to get a lesson and the answer was always yes. Once the time came around something always came up or she was allowed to missed the lessons when she wasn't with us for the weekend. All after it's been
    via Sad-Negotiation2786
  • BALL STRIKE OUT 1 QUESTO O RUNS
    via Chris Chow

    The kid excelling at softball

    Model portrayal



     

  • confirmed on Both end and arrangements made. She's naturally talented at softball won awards at camps and been asked to transfer schools to play for them. I know whatever she wants to go she can truly
    via Sad-Negotiation2786
  • be great at it. The issue comes when she's not being pushed by both sides to achieve her full potential. She's always being allowed to give up when things get difficult. I don't really care what sport or activity it is that
    via Sad-Negotiation2786
  • she does. I care more about the life lessons that can be learned from sports. I believe whole heartedly that sports can give young kids traits that they carry with them for the rest of their lives. No matter what it is I always
    via Sad-Negotiation2786
  • support fully emotional and financially. I just can't keep giving in and pouring into different things that she won't stick with. I have 2 other daughters that it's also taking away from. Once she made the choice to start gymnastics and
    via Sad-Negotiation2786
  • cheerleading. I made the choice not to support financially and solely from a distance. Does this make me an a hole?
    via Sad-Negotiation2786
  • Weird-Salamander-349 Do you think that maybe your daughter would rather do some non-sport activity but feels pressure from you to do sports when she isn't actually all that interested in them?
    via Weird-Salamander-349
  • Naive-Butterfly-2363 NTA. Whilst your daughter may feel that you don't support her, I believe ir's best you try reiterate the importance of commitment and the pride she will take once she is fully dedicated to a certain activity.
    via Naive-Butterfly-2363
  • Buff MAX SHOEI
    via Olena Kamenetska

    Does she need to learn to manage her frustration?

    Actor performance of story events



     

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