wow I did not have any say in these matters so I sure felt like I was being 'forced' to take piano lessons, etc. I would have preferred dance and horseback riding lessons (which I did get some, but not regularly). And I wasn't too happy with my mom when she enrolled us in Lassie League without asking us 1st. So not having a choice or say in the matter IS being forced.
I did take dance lessons from my cousin when I was 3-4, but my mother pulled us out because she didn't like my cousins' teaching methods (yelling...she was loud, but I idolized her so I didn't mind). I used to beg my mom to let me go back.
Piano -I was 10. My sister and I were looking forward to this, but it wasn't a good environment. Our teachers son had ADD and she used to do things like tie him to a chair to keep him quiet and still for our lessons. I felt so bad for the boy that I rushed through my lesson so he could be untied and I could play with him while my sister had her lesson.
My parents didn't know about this until I couldn't take it any longer and started skipping my lessons (and got caught). Once we told them what had been going on, we didn't have to go back.
On that note...I have to disagree with Char and Dawns
. And NO WAY did I force my son into toilet-training, etc.