Dad needs a reality check

Dear Harriette: I think my son’s a quitter. Every time he finds a new sport, he’ll do it for one season tops and then move on to something else. I want him to focus on one so he can at least compete for scholarships for college, but if he doesn’t settle on one soon (he’s in the eighth grade), there’s no way he’ll be recruited. Any pointers on how I can get him to focus? — Jay, Manhasset, N.Y.

Dear Jay: It’s unrealistic to believe that suddenly your child is going to take up a sport and become great at it nearly overnight. I wouldn’t bank his college education on that plan. To be recruited for a sport means a child is both committed and highly talented in that area. This requires a level of commitment that your child simply has not demonstrated.

Explore other academic and extracurricular options in your quest to make your child more competitive. Talk to him to discover his interests and strengths. Meet with his guidance counselor to identify potential leads. Encourage him to get involved in public service. There’s bound to be an area that interests him. Make that your goal to discover rather than attempting to fit him into a box. Be clear about the realities of what it will take for him to go to college so he gets serious about the process, too.