opting out of PE

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My high school had adaptive PE as well. I would have sold my soul to be in that class, just to spare myself the horrors of regular PE. But there were two problems: (1) I was too "normal" to be in there, and (2) I myself wasn't sure who the PE was adapted for: aspies like me or people in wheelchairs.

However, there were two mitigating factors. On the first day, the teacher said something like this: "We [teachers and staff] couldn't care less how well you do. But we want you doing in the first place; no sitting out unless you have a medical reason. If you come prepared and do everything we tell you, you'll guarantee yourself a B! Plain and simple!" Another is that I was surprised by how little bullying happened in gym compared to what I got in sit-down academic classes and in hallways. Sure, there was some mean-spirited teasing about my lack of athletic skills, but nothing truly threatening.

That said, the gym class should have two tracks: team-based and individual. You choose or the other. The former can be your usual team sports and such; the latter can be group fitness classes, weightlifting, and military-style drills.

But there is nothing in adult life that PE prepares you for. PE doesn't teach you how to maintain fitness when you aren't in a large group of 30 people your own age, with an instructor picking your activities for you. About all it does is force fitness now, with no effort to really teach how to be fit later. And I can force my kid to be fit without PE.

Maybe PE has changed since you were a kid, or will before your prospective child is old enough to attend.

PE help teach a range of fine and gross motor skills which are important for many activities. There also are some elements of individual fitness (circuit training, cross country, trampolining, etc) and plenty of adults participate in team sports.

I'm sure many would argue that there are lots of hidden skills, too. I can't remember what all of them are, but I know important things are still learnt. Things don't have to involve sitting down and studying to be learning.

Personally, I've always found sports that have a purpose other than fitness alone more enjoyable. I enjoyed primary school PE but didn't like most of secondary school PE (though I loved trampolining and enjoyed a couple of others). It also introduced me to a whole range of different sports. I may not have liked all of them (indeed, I downright disliked some) but I got the opportunity to explore them.

It also allows for kids whose parents can't afford to send them to sports classes or 'force them to be fit' to access sport.

Besides, 'forcing' a kid to do sports at home isn't going to make it any more endearing to them as adults.

I hated music lessons, but some of the people in my class started learning instruments afterwards and want to be musicians.

My brother (who is either very BAP or an undiagnosed aspie) loved PE so much it was his favourite subject. He also struggled academically. He's now doing sports coaching. He did begin to struggle with sports more as he couldn't understand the need for other fitness for football as it got more serious nor is he the best 'team player', but his only friends are from football or online gaming. They're also the only two things he's interested in.

Well, maybe 'forced' is the wrong word. I was thinking of regularly doing fun activities with the child that involve movement. When I was little, my parents took me swimming, skating, visiting the zoo (which involves a lot of walking), and signed me up for gymnastics. All of these were things I was quite happy to do, and if I'd hated them, my parents would have tried something else. My brother also really enjoyed soccer and was just getting into karate when he started having issues with PE.

I really think that if you get them before they've been taught to think of physical exercise as a chore, most kids would enjoy some kind of exercise. You just need to figure out what's a good fit for them.

I learned how to swim in middle school PE class, and all these years later it is still my primary form of exercise. I learned a skill in PE. I am glad I learned it past just being able to be safe in water (treading water, etc.), to the point where I now can use it for aerobic exercise.