Mom Asks If It’s Wrong to Let Daughter Quit Her Dance Team Halfway Through the Season to Try Out for a Different Sport

A mom is wrestling with whether her daughter should quit her school dance team.

The original poster (OP) shared her story on Reddit, explaining that her daughter initially tried out for the school’s cheer team but didn’t make it. She then auditioned for the dance team, which had a low turnout, and earned a spot on the six-girl squad.

However, OP said the team is disorganized. Despite raising significant funds for the program—and OP herself contributing $300—they’ve only received a T-shirt so far. Halfway through the season, the girls still don’t have any part of their uniforms.

“She has no uniform ordered, no shoes, tights, bag, nothing we were promised and no tentative arrival either,” OP wrote. “It’s so frustrating. The coach has been approached as well as the school on this and there is still no definite answer on when the girls’ things will arrive.”

OP said her daughter is frustrated but trying to push through. Cheer tryouts are happening again this week, and OP knows that program is better organized.

“It’s what she wanted to do originally and desperately wants to give it another shot,” OP said. “I understand her wanting to quit. Should I advise against this and have her finish the season and try cheer next year?”

Many commenters encouraged OP to let her daughter switch to cheer.

“Honestly let her join cheer. I feel like you answered your own question when you said her reasoning is valid,” one person wrote. “She sounds like a motivated person with a good sense of what serves her and what doesn’t.”

Another commenter pointed out the team’s lack of delivery on key promises.

“Personally I would let her quit. It sounds like she’s being taken advantage of. She raised 4 THOUSAND dollars for the program AND paid $300 out of pocket and they don’t even have uniforms?? What kind of clown show is this?” they wrote.

“Letting her quit is a lesson in going where her work is valued; forcing her to stay is sunk cost fallacy. She’s not going to turn the program around single-handed, and she shouldn’t have to. Let her do cheer.”

A third person highlighted that knowing when to quit is just as important as sticking with something.

“Honestly, and I know it goes against what a lot of people say, but knowing when to leave or when to quit is actually a really great skill,” they wrote. “Pushing through things that are not for us is often actually not the best.

“But in this case, it seems very clear that it’s a very reasonable decision, and it also shows that you’re listening to her and solidifies that trying something new doesn’t mean you need to stick with it forever. I think those are all great lessons!”