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…