It is believed by some that organizing leisure activities is essential for children. The alternative view is that they should have the freedom to do activities of their choice Personally, I agree with the former view because of the immense benefits this approach offers, although there are some caveats for parents to take into consideration.
On the one hand, the main rationale behind organizing children’s activities is that it ensures they reap the true benefits of the chosen activities. For many activities it is important for participants to overcome initial setbacks. For example, learning to play the guitar entails practising seemingly monotonous drills and enduring finger pains and mental frustration. Only after this stage can learners play more sophisticated songs. This struggle at the beginning is more likely to be overcome with degree of organization in one’s schedule. Indeed, many accomplished musicians have to practice, the following strict routines throughout their childhood, without which it can be difficult to advance beyond the surface level.
On the other hand, there are also those who believe in total freedom for children’s free time. They argue that organized activities if chosen by parents without concerning the child’s interest, can lead to resentment which might be counter-productive. An example of this the Vietnamese parents who force their children to learn the piano, despite their dislike. These parents hope that this particular instrument will help their children develop their musicality and enjoy this art form. However many children later describe their piano lessons as nightmare and carry this stigma into adulthood. if instead, they are given freedom over what instrument to learn, the scenario described above might be averted.
In conclusion, I believe organized activities are highly beneficial as long as the participants are inloved in the decision-making process