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April 2012 Moms
KatFCo
member
S/O LO playing sports
KatFCo
member
People keep talking about DS's size and how he's going to play football someday. I HATE football and usually respond jokingly, "No, he's going to be a power hitter for the Cubs or Red Sox." Not that I would ever force him to do a sport he doesn't like, but I really don't want him playing football.
Are there any sports you intend to steer your LO toward/away from?
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Re: S/O LO playing sports
My FIL is a youth football coach. He started coaching when DH was little and hasn't stopped. If we have a son, DH keeps saying there's no way he won't play football. I disagree. Just because he played and FIL coaches, I don't think my child HAS to play. If he wants to play soccer, which falls in the same season, he will, and I will be secretly happy. I think football is too aggressive for my liking as a parent; however, if my child wanted to play, I would be very supportive.
Our situation is a little different. DH and I are both musicians, so everyone expects LO to play an instrument and are already choosing one for him. DH is a percussionist and teaches essentially indoor marching band that is for percussionists only. He has already decided that Micah will perform in one of these ensembles.
It's hard to say now, but when people ask Micah what instrument he's going to play, I tell them that he's going to probably hate music and play football. My parents made us be in something, but we got to choose what that something was. I want Micah to be involved in a student group and be involved in something active, but I'll let him choose what that will be, whether it's running around a basketball court playing a drum or bouncing a ball, or whether it's marching on the football field or tackling on it. It'll be his choice (no matter how much it terrifies or annoys me!).
Micah Leonard
We get this, "ooh, he's a big boy and so strong, gonna be into sports" too! I fear, fear, fear hockey.
Being in MN, it's everywhere. As a minister, there are so many kids that miss worship/confirmation/missiontrips/activities, etc because of hockey. My spouse is a 5th grade teacher and kids miss days of school/specialactivities/fieldtrips/,etc because of hockey. Extended family miss family gatherings, parties, etc because of insane ice time (7am practices, 9pm games, you name it). Of all the sports (at least in our region), its schedule seems to be the most insane. I really really really do not want my life to revolve around hockey.
At the same time, if my kid is begging to play a sport that his cousin/uncle/grandpa all play...I'm not going to totally forbid it! But, man, I hope he's not dying to play. There will be limits!!!
I played sports and my husband did not. We are hoping that our boys will play some sports just for the teamwork/physical activity/leadership/following directions aspects of it (and all the other good things). My 2.5 year old ADORES baseball (he sleeps with a glove -- sometimes two!) and we also kick around a soccer ball. We haven't started him in anything at this time, but I can see soccer, basketball, baseball on the horizon perhaps. We'll be coming from a "for fun" angle because just basic genetics and statistics tell me that college athletics probably won't be happening!
I would prefer no football, and in fact the high school we will probably send him to has no football team. I don't like all the head injury research that is coming out (I recognize that that's the pros, but it makes me uncomfortable).
If we have a boy the second time around, my DH wants him to play hockey. I really dont know what being a hockey mom entails but at least I like hockey. We live in a big lacrosse area and I'm not a fan. DH played football for one scrimage season in 10th grade. He's a big dude and got targeted by the other team. His leg/knee was severely broken and hasnt been right since. In damp weather it aches likes arthritis and he cant sneak up on people with all the snap, crackle and popping it does. Last year it gave out on him causing him to fall and break his hand. And there are days he doesnt want to carry DD for fear of it giving out while holding her.
Anyway, while I will be supportive of whatever my child(ren) decide to do, I may attempt to discourage certain sports. However, I'm not really a sports person so I probably should just be happy if my kid actually wants to play something besides the Playstation.
This is how I feel. I know all sports come with risks, but the brain damage that can be caused from football is only now starting to be really researched.
Neither DH nor I played sports that much, and I want to encourage our kids to to help them be active. There are few, though, that our kids will not be allowed to play without some serious reservations: football being right up there.
For DD, I'd be hesitant to let her be a cheerleader, depending on how they did it. Sometimes I think cheer and dance programs are overly sexualized and I don't want DD to be part of it.
Oh wait. I forgot about hockey. It's not very big around here, but my brother coaches my nephew's (8) team. While I'm not a fan of how violent it can get, I'm even less of a fan of how EXPENSIVE it can get. I know that DS might be interested, but since it's so rare around here, there's no way on earth we could ever even afford to have him play on a league. My nephew is also into dirt bike racing (whatever the letters are for that), which is also super expensive and time consuming. There are definitely opportunities around us for DS to participate, but that's another sport that would require DH getting a 5th job for, and that's just not going to happen. I feel terrible that I can't give my son everything he wants, but that's just going to be a reality for him.
Micah Leonard
I REFUSE to allow my DD to cheer or tumble. I can just see her being tossed up and then some kid below dropping her and her being paralized for life, nope not gonna happen, not to mention the thought of her being in a tiny little outfit does not agree with the "mom" in me!
I would be fine with dance, she loves to dance to music now. Both me and DH were in the band so if she wishes to play an instrument I would be fine with that too!!!