If you're a parent feeling overwhelmed by your kids' sports schedules and expenses, you're not alone. A new study confirms that today's parents are indeed spending significantly more time, money, and effort on their children's sports activities compared to previous generations. This idea that parents are going "all in" to their kids' sports events, spending more money and time, has been a common story. Now, research confirms that this isn't just talk; things have genuinely changed. Proof is in the Data Researchers looked at information from nearly 4,000 adults across the U.S. who shared details about their parents' involvement and spending on their sports when they were growing up. The survey was conducted between 2018 and 2019. The results clearly show a growing trend of parents getting more involved in youth sports, especially those with higher education. For example: Most people born in the 1950s said their parents went to their sports events only a few times a year. But for those born in the 1990s, parents with a college degree attended games about once a week on average, while those with less education attended about once a month. Similar trends were also seen in how much money parents spent on sports and how much they helped out with things like coaching or driving. These changes really started to pick up speed for children born in the 1980s. Intensive Parenting and Changing Systems Researchers explained that recent shifts in youth sports and parenting cultures have pushed parents to invest more. He noted that since the 1980s, supporting a child's athletic growth seems to demand a level of involvement that previous generations didn't experience. Positive And Negative Impact of Youth Sports According to the Open Access Journal Of Sports Medicine journal, youth sports are incredibly popular in the U.S., with about 45 million children and teenagers taking part. In fact, 75% of American families with school-aged kids have at least one child in organized sports. Positive Side When done right, youth sports offer fantastic benefits. They can help kids develop physical fitness, improve their mental well-being, and teach lifelong lessons that encourage an active and healthy lifestyle. The key is to keep the focus on fun and strike a good balance in these areas. Negative Side Despite the popularity, there are some concerning issues in youth sports. Surprisingly, even with so many kids playing sports, we're seeing a childhood obesity epidemic, with one in three children now overweight. Most kids and teens are leading increasingly inactive lives outside of their organized sports. Why Parents Are More Involved Now Experts suggest that recent changes in youth sports and parenting styles have pushed parents to invest more. Since the 1980s, supporting a child's athletic development seems to demand a level of involvement that wasn't expected of parents in earlier times. This shift is part of a larger trend called "intensive parenting." Over the last 50 years or so, parents have moved from being casual supporters to actively managing their children's extracurricular lives. One reason for this increased involvement is that schools have cut back on sports spending. This has led better-off families to pour more of their own resources into their children's athletic success. Parents often see this as a way to boost their kids' chances when applying for college or looking for jobs. Part of the reason for this increased involvement is that schools have cut back on sports funding. This means wealthier families are now putting more money into their children's athletic success.