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Topics: Blogs / Polls • Blogs / LDS Living Blog

Poll: How Do You Approach Extracurricular Activities on Sunday?

LDS Living Staff - February 07, 2011

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Opinions on what is and is not appropriate on Sunday vary greatly. What do you think about the issue of sports (and other activities) on Sunday?

We have been thinking a lot about this question recently. Last week, we brought up a similar debate (watching the Super Bowl and/or having a family party on Sunday), and we also ran a story about two LDS cheerleaders who, like many other LDS youth, chose not to compete on Sunday. Both stories generated passionate response, which made us realize how varied the opinions are on the topic of appropriate Sunday activities. So we wondered: how do you and your family handle extracurricular activities on Sunday?

Most families have to face the question of Sunday competition and/or recitals at some point. Sports, music, dance, debate, and speech competitions all have the possibility to be held on Sunday. Some families have hard and fast rules for the children that no Sunday competition is allowed. Others leave the choice up to the children, sometimes while encouraging them one way or the other.

Sometimes when youth refrain from competition for religious reasons, they are applauded for integrity to their beliefs and encounter few negative consequences. Sometimes the choice results in competition privileges being taken away—and sometimes it can result in criticism or derision. It is a decision that involves many different factors, and it varies as much as the people making the decision do.

So, how do you or your family (or both) handle the question of extracurricular activities on Sunday? Check out our poll below.

Have you or your children ever participated in extracurricular activities (sports, music, dance, debate, and speech competitions, etc.) on Sunday?




Do you think participating in extracurricular activities on Sunday is an acceptable use of Sunday time?





If you have decided against Sunday competition in the past, how did coaches and teammates react to the decision?






What about work? Have you or your (at-home) children ever worked on Sunday?




How do you approach the Sunday competition question with your children? Do you have a rule, let them decide, or do something else? Leave a comment below.


© LDS Living, 2010.
Tags: Sabbath Day, Poll, LDS Living Blog

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Comments 25 comments

mshe33 said...

03:21 PM
on Feb 07, 2011

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Until my children are 18 and/or living on their own, we don't allow working on Sundays.

capri said...

08:49 PM
on Feb 07, 2011

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The "For the Strength of Youth" pamphlet is a great guide line from the prophet that really helps families understand Sunday worship on the Lords' day of the week. I like to think of it as "For the Strength of You", or "For the Strength of Families" pamphlet and not just for youth. When questions arise, I have referred my children to this booklet and when challenged I say "It isn't really my rule, it is the Lords". It works as a pretty good standard for our family.

lbird said...

11:30 AM
on Feb 08, 2011

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We teach our children about the Sabbath day and how important it is to keep it holy. We try to be good examples ourselves. However, when a school or sports activity comes up on Sunday, we let them choose what they feel is best. More often than not, they choose not to participate but once and a while they do participate. We want them to make good decisions on their own because they have a testimony so they don't feel forced and rebel.Most of the time, they choose not to participate but at times it has been hard because there is so much pressue from others to go that they have given in but then felt bad later, It has been a growing experience for them. When they are small, we don't allow them to decide but by the time they are teenagers we let them choose.

jfcain said...

12:05 PM
on Feb 08, 2011

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There were a few times that our children played on Sunday. (make up games) our feeling was if we made a committment to team, we played. Before we signed them up we asked about Sunday Play and did not to sign up for Teams that played on Sunday. We had many FHE lessons on Keeping the Sabbath Holy. No Movies, very little TV (good) choices), no work, and if they went to friend's home on Sunday (there were a few times) it was to a LDS home where they did their best to also keep the Sabbath day. As my children became older and had Jobs we encourage them not to work on Sundays but they made the choice.

kjbinstl said...

02:28 PM
on Feb 08, 2011

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What drives me nuts is that these questions, and most of the answers, are along the lines of "this is what we think". This is an issue on which the scriptures and the prophets have been very, very clear and surprisingly specific--not once, but repeatedly. Let's look up (and why don't you print) what they have said, rather than just asking for our friends' great ideas.

barbaralaxton said...

06:35 PM
on Feb 08, 2011

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I sustain the comments of the other parents who stated that they have made known to coaches, teachers, etc. what their family standards on Sabbath activities is. Making this decision ahead of time is the key. Planning for the Sabbath is always a good idea. We can meet challenges if we are prepared. The Lord said to call the Sabbath a delight not a surprise! We know when the Sabbath is coming. We know what the Lord expects of us. Perhaps Elder Packer's advice from many years ago is the best. He said that we should make decisions about gospel standards only once, not every time we are faced with the same situation.

rmdesign said...

10:00 AM
on Feb 09, 2011

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We have lived in the NE for the past 20 years, and with 5 children have faced this many times, when the children were young we made a rule "no Sunday sports or outside activities". We have been supported 95% of time by teachers and coaches, only one drama teacher gave us, and the children grudging support. I seems that the further we moved out of the West the better support we received, (4 years in Indiana). When I left Ricks College in 1987 I was please with the response of Purdue University with respect to my religion classes, each course was fully accepted as sociology credit, even my missionary approach was accepted. Of course that big school in South Bend may have something to do with this attitude, the rest of the country consider divinity schools as legitimate. My friends who transferred to "Western" non-LDS schools lost the credits. When one religion is in the majority, that is the one accused of forcing beliefs on others, in every other part of society it is called majority rule. We don't force our beliefs onto others but we can expect our standard to be the community standard, thats the majority rule.

rmdesign said...

10:06 AM
on Feb 09, 2011

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One more thought, we have always taught our children to keep their commitments but also in the order of oldest commitment to newest, they were baptized at 8, for my children none were longer running, school, sports, whatever.

majormom said...

10:31 PM
on Feb 09, 2011

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Being in the military it is often difficult and next to impossible to say no to my employer-however, our family goes to tremdous lengths to make the Sabbath a day in which the Spirit can be felt; we hope when our children no longer put their feet beneath our table, they will continue to do the same.

aolsen said...

10:23 AM
on Feb 10, 2011

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Growing up in a dairy town, a lot of my priesthood leaders had to water fields, feed livestock, and milk on Sundays. I think there are extenuating circumstances that may require work, but anything to diminish the world on that day should be done.

sistersaint said...

07:14 PM
on Feb 12, 2011

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Only when caled for a medica emergency.

sistersaint said...

07:15 PM
on Feb 12, 2011

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Only when caled for a medica emergency.

sistersaint said...

07:15 PM
on Feb 12, 2011

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Only when caled for a medica emergency.

sistersaint said...

07:15 PM
on Feb 12, 2011

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Only when caled for a medica emergency.

sistersaint said...

07:15 PM
on Feb 12, 2011

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Only when caled for a medica emergency.

sistersaint said...

07:15 PM
on Feb 12, 2011

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Only when caled for a medica emergency.

sistersaint said...

07:15 PM
on Feb 12, 2011

Report Abuse

Only when caled for a medica emergency.

sistersaint said...

07:15 PM
on Feb 12, 2011

Report Abuse

Only when caled for a medica emergency.

sistersaint said...

07:15 PM
on Feb 12, 2011

Report Abuse

Only when caled for a medica emergency.

sistersaint said...

07:15 PM
on Feb 12, 2011

Report Abuse

Only when caled for a medica emergency.

sistersaint said...

07:15 PM
on Feb 12, 2011

Report Abuse

Only when caled for a medica emergency.

sistersaint said...

07:15 PM
on Feb 12, 2011

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Only when caled for a medica emergency.

sistersaint said...

07:15 PM
on Feb 12, 2011

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Only when caled for a medica emergency.

dennis said...

11:44 AM
on Feb 15, 2011

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Years ago I was in charge of one of dozens of community basketball programs in our large city. There were several hundred teams and thousands of kids. Someone complained about finding enough practice time because of available gym time and suggestedthat we move practices and games to include Sundays. Some of the coordinators agreed. I spoke out and told them that if that were to happen, I could probably guarantee that several hundred players would immediatly drop our of the program. Members of my church who choose to follow the Sabbath Day. I then suggested that they all enjoy basketball and that they might start their own league as an alternative. That was the end of the discussion and that was about 20 years ago. We still do not play on Sunday.

wahlymom said...

03:51 PM
on Feb 17, 2011

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We have had this situation occationally, but mostly related to team practices. As a general rule practices can be missed without too many consequences. However, my kids have worked their part-time jobs on Sundays with the stipulation that they can't miss church to work. No exceptions. It is very hard to find a part-time job for a high school student that will hire them without the possibility of some sunday work. However, all of my kids employers have respected the request for Sunday mornings off.
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