I raised 5 kids and refused to spend thousands on youth sports. I don't regret it.

The author had to say no to her kids when they wanted to play expensive sports.

Courtesy of the author My son wanted to play hockey, but the cost and time commitment were too much for our family.

My five kids tried several sports, but I kept our spending to a minimum.

Now that they're adults, I'm glad I didn't chase expensive teams or potential scholarships.

My oldest son tells a story about walking past the local sporting goods store every morning on his way to school and eyeing an ice hockey uniform he was eager to wear.

The small town in Massachusetts where I raised my children was hockey central for the eastern region of the Commonwealth.

Many of his friends first hit the ice at 3, learning to navigate the slippery surface by pushing plastic milk crates around the frozen field.

Ice hockey was not in his future.

It's an extremely expensive sport that requires a commitment from the whole family.

With practices often scheduled for 5 a.m. and games as far away as Maine, there was no way I could support his dreams while also fulfilling his four siblings' dreams.

I have no regrets for saying "no" to youth sports .

We're big sports fans, but not great athletes Hockey was not the only game in town.

Football, soccer, baseball, and basketball were all among the competitive sports offered to kids in our community.

I signed the boys up for T-ball and the free Saturday morning instructional basketball program .