Children who sign up for team activities should know that others are counting on them for the duration of the season or project. With individualized activities it is a good idea to set an initial time limit, measured in months, not years. Sometimes the issues around wanting to stop an activity are related to other things. The time of practice may compete with other interests. There may be a problem with physical location, teammates, or the instructor.
Some children just feel overwhelmed by the activity or the pressure of an over-packed schedule.
Peer pressure to succeed may weigh heavily on a child. If this becomes the case, then the parent has a greater investment and responsibility than the child. Teens may drop out of an activity as a way of asserting their independence, especially if they are struggling with power and control issues within the family. Often they are interested in distancing themselves from childhood. They may view a particular activity as an uncomfortable link to their past or associate it with a parent making the choice for them.