s/o are you opposed to letting your DCs play a certain sport?

[BabyBearsMom]

In the gymnastics thread, a lot of people were saying that they wouldn't want their DD to do gymnastics. Is there are sport you want your kids to avoid? I'm not too concerned about gymnastics (I'm 5'9" and DH is 6', so our girls are probably already taller than professional gymnasts). The sport I don't want them to do is cheerleading because I think all of those throws look very dangerous.

[wellyes]

Football, cheerleading

[ChristinaLucia]

Totally! I am trying to push them into sports I think are not too dangerous. Tennis, swimming, golf, etc.

[wencit]

Nope. As long as my kid was passionate about doing it, I'd let him compete.

[LMPC]

I'd rather she not play football or do gymnastics (past a tumble class here and there). Oh and cheerleading is out.

[sunshine873]

Whatever DD ends up feeling passionate about...I will support. My DH's job and hobbies are pretty extreme, so I'm expecting DD to throw herself into something equally risky. At least I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for that. :)

So, there's nothing I would say no to, but for my own selfish reasons, I sure am hoping she doesn't choose basketball. I HATE watching basketball. I'd do anything for her, including spending any and all of my free time watching a little orange ball be tossed around, but I sure would like it if she'd pick something else! ;)

[SnuggleBuggles]

I always said ice hockey b/c of the ice times (early, usually) and the hassle of all that equipment.

[AnnieW625]

I am somewhat opposed to cheerleading at say pre age 10 because I don't like the overdone makeup that some of the local cheer teams here have, but in high school or college I am not opposed to it.

I am not opposed to gymnastics either, but I highly doubt that either of my girls will be competing on a team. I did gymnastics as a child and had fun, but by the time I was 8 I stopped because I knew I would be too tall (I was off the charts tall until I was about 13 yrs. old, and then I stopped growing, I am 5'6") and while I liked it I knew I wasn't that good to go onto the competing level. I had friends who competed on a jr. team at our gym from the time they were 7 or 8 until they were about 14.

While I do hope my children never get injued I think the risk is of getting injured can happen in any sport.

There is not a :bag large enough, but I am scared of soccer, although I did ask DD1 if she wanted to play and she said no. Soccer moms and over zealous sports moms scare me.

[lizzywednesday]

We're not opposed to most sports in general, but ... I'm not crazy about ones focused on appearance (cheer, dance, gymnastics) and DH, though he adores NFL and NCAA football, has expressed a fear of letting a DS do football.

We're encouraging soccer, but that's mostly because I had a lot of fun playing as a kid. I started in the 3rd grade & played 'til 8th before switching to field hockey, which was NOT the right sport for me - I'm useless with a stick.

However ... I'm not crazy about how it seems to be SO competitive (especially with BIL and SIL - they used to play in high school & college and BIL coaches DNiece's rec team, constantly giving "critiques" that just come out as criticisms, etc.) and, well, BIL & SIL are really rah-rah into it and that just doesn't strike me as something I want to deal with.

I'd prefer DC not participate in tee ball or softball either, but that's where I had my worst experience with coaches & parents when I played as a kid. (Or, rather, when I signed up. I was dreadful so I got the bare minimum of playing time. It got to the point where I'd wish I'd learned to keep score instead. I'm still dreadful; I've faced facts - softball just isn't my sport. Well, actually, anything involving a stick, club, racquet or bat is not my sport. I do much better if the ball is nice and big & I'm allowed to touch it.)

I'd also prefer not to get into sports that are expensive - ice hockey, football, traveling teams, dance, etc. - because I am cheap. If DD shows a special talent for something, however, maybe I'll change my tune, but, for now, I'm just not going to spend the money.

[arivecchi]

Nope. As long as my kid was passionate about doing it, I'd let him compete.
:yeahthat:

Although I know that DH would not be thrilled if the kids wanted to play soccer or baseball or pursue gymnastics.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

there were threads on this last year, and i remember a few people pointing out that according to injury statistics, basketball is actually the most dangerous sport. am wondering if there is a link to show this. interesting if it's true.

[crl]

I would prefer to avoid football, cheerleading, rugby and gymnastics. I don't think I would flat out forbid them though. At this point I can't imagine ds playing rugby or football--just not his personality at age nine anyway. And dd will likely be too tall for gymnastics. And I think I would flat out forbid some of the X-sports type stuff like dirt bikes and such. There are some sports we would be pretty much priced out of as well such as the equestrian events.

Catherine

[BabyBearsMom]

:yeahthat:

Although I know that DH would not be thrilled if the kids wanted to play soccer or baseball or pursue gymnastics.

My DH is praying that our DDs aren't interested in soccer because he thinks it is the most boring sport on earth.

[crl]

:yeahthat:

Although I know that DH would not be thrilled if the kids wanted to play soccer or baseball or pursue gymnastics.

Interesting combo, is that due to lack of interest in those sports on Dh's part or some other reason?

Catherine

[mikeys_mom]

I'm ok with whatever sport they choose.

All 3 DD's are currently doing gymnastics. It's at a gym that really just promotes having fun and improving skills at your own pace. It is totally not competitive. They love it so I see no reason to not let them pursue it at this level.

DS plays hockey in a pretty non-competitive league. He only plays once a week, on Sundays for an hour and a half. It's plenty at this point. He has lots of fun and I have really no concern that he will get injured.

[speo]

I am strongly opposed to motorcross and will not allow my kids to even do that recreationally.

For my boys, I am very apprehensive about football and gymnastics. I don't really think gynmastics will ever come up, but DS2 REALLY wants to do football. He says that is what he wants to be when he grows up. He asks when he will get his professional jersey. So I am not sure what we will do. We will probably allow it at some point.

I am also scared of the baseball culture around here. We haven't done baseball and I am not sure when/if we will. One of our main goals of sports is to provide a means for exercise. I am not sure baseball really provides enough exercise for the amount of time it requires.

For girls, I would be very apprehensive about gymnastics and probably not let them do it at a high level.

And lastly, I am not sure we would really go to extreme measures to ensure our kids are elite athletes. I doubt we would move our family, sell our house, go into large debt, split up our family, or send our kid to live somewhere else so that they could become an elite athlete.

[Green_Tea]

No hockey.
No football.

(Seeing as DS refuses to learn to skate and my kids have little interest in team sports, I'm not that worried about having to say no.)

[pinkmomagain]

I said no to HS cheerleading as the coach wanted dd to be a flyer and I refused.

I am not crazy about the way some sports create a certain type of musculature/posture to the female figure, but it would not be reason enough for me to forbid a sport.

[A1icia]

I have my fingers crossed for swimming. Meets can be boring to attend but our pool is a short walk away, their is not much required in terms of equipment and it's a great skill to have and is a wonderful form of exercise that is easy on the joints :)

For team sports I think soccer is great great but it is extremelly competitive around here. I love watching basketball so that could be fun but I didn't know about the injury rate.

Really I just hope DS finds a sport or outdoor activity that he enjoys that help develop a lifelong enjoyment of fitness and exersise which I lack.

[wellyes]

No football because DH is still impacted by knee and back pain from HS football. Just wear and tear,no major injuries. And that's on a not-very-competitive team; can't imagine the aches and pains of guys who played serious college ball. He's also told me, without thinking much of it, about multiple concussions. I think the sport will make rules & equipment to help with head injuries, but the rest of the body is too much at risk.


DH plays hockey and wants to encourage DD to play. It is a contact sport, kind of, but do think it's different than football, where there are tackles every single play.

[niccig]

Nope. As long as my kid was passionate about doing it, I'd let him compete.

We're in the same camp here. Neither DH nor I had a chance to compete in any sport, so if DS shows an interest and willingness to do the work, we'll give it a try. I also doubt DS will be an elite athlete, so amount of time/money/move family to be near coaches is very unlikely to be an issue.

I don't think I can ban anything outright without letting DS try and see if he likes it. A friend wanted to ban hockey as too many injuries, turns out her son has been hurt more in soccer and lacrosse than he has in hockey. So what you think may be an issue, may not be at all.

[arivecchi]

Interesting combo, is that due to lack of interest in those sports on Dh's part or some other reason? He just does not enjoy those sports, but I am sure he'd suck it up if that's what they liked.

So far DS1 is doing tae kwon do and has expressed an interesting in fencing of all things! LOL!

DS2 seems to be destined to be a football or rugby player. The kid loves to tackle and run and is just a maniac in general.

As parents, we are not going to dissuade our kids from playing contact sports. DH played football, rugby, hockey and did wrestling, so he would be thrilled if the boys took up the same sports.

I hope they try swimming. I used to swim and loved it, so the kids are watching a whole lot of Olympic swimming these days! ;)

[JBaxter]

I hate to hear parents say "My child will NEVER pay X" No I'm not opposed to any sport. If my child wants to play football soccer OR cheerlead I'm there to support their passion and have them do it safely. My DH broke his arm 2x playing u12 soccer and had an knee injury in tennis. My oldest almost was a spotter for the cheerleaders but they ended up not not needing him. I have 4 boys and I'm behind their passions no matter if its sports music or debate club. I dont want to box them into what "I" want them to be I try to raise them to be their own person.

[niccig]

I hate to hear parents say "My child will NEVER pay X" No I'm not opposed to any sport. If my child wants to play football soccer OR cheerlead I'm there to support their passion and have them do it safely. My DH broke his arm 2x playing u12 soccer and had an knee injury in tennis. My oldest almost was a spotter for the cheerleaders but they ended up not not needing him. I have 4 boys and I'm behind their passions no matter if its sports music or debate club. I dont want to box them into what "I" want them to be I try to raise them to be their own person.

Nicely said Jeana.

I had a mother that said No to things we wanted to do. A friend quickly learned that any extracurricular activities were a PITA to her mother and not worth signing up. Another friend told me her mother would only take her to activities her mother thought were important and she had to give up being in the school band. We all resent our parents for not letting us try something we wanted to do.

[maestramommy]

Cheerleading.

[daisymommy]

Football, cheerleading

:yeahthat:

Football because I think it's too dangerous, and cheerleading because I think it *can* teach girls to move, dress, and act in an oversexualized way.

[karstmama]

nothing with big forceful contact like football, hockey, wrestling. he only has 1/3 of his colon and it needs to be protected.

[elliput]

I can not think of anything to which I am extremely opposed. There are sports which I prefer to watch over others, however, if my kid wants to take up bowling so be it. It's not about what I like.

[Ceepa]

I would gently steer away from sports that have higher incidences of injuries and hope they don't like soccer. Soccer is painfully boring to me.

If they really want to participate, however, I would first assess whether they had a true desire or a fleeting interest.

[sunshine873]

there were threads on this last year, and i remember a few people pointing out that according to injury statistics, basketball is actually the most dangerous sport. am wondering if there is a link to show this. interesting if it's true.

I think I remember that too. See, just another reason I don't like basketball! ;)

[maestramommy]

I hate to hear parents say "My child will NEVER pay X" No I'm not opposed to any sport. If my child wants to play football soccer OR cheerlead I'm there to support their passion and have them do it safely. My DH broke his arm 2x playing u12 soccer and had an knee injury in tennis. My oldest almost was a spotter for the cheerleaders but they ended up not not needing him. I have 4 boys and I'm behind their passions no matter if its sports music or debate club. I dont want to box them into what "I" want them to be I try to raise them to be their own person.

I hear you on this, and I resented my mom for saying no to things I wanted to do, basically anything that would impact my ability to play piano. But I just cannot get behind cheerleading. I think there are too many serious injuries that could be avoided if the sport were more regulated, which it doesn't seem to be, at least to the extent of other sports.

[elektra]

I think I would let them try almost anything, with the possible exception of the xgames events with the motorcycle that flies through the air or maybe big wave surfing or free diving.

I know football and other contact sports are dangerous but I will not discourage the kids from playing stuff like that if they want to, especially anything team related.
I have said it before (so apologies for the broken record if it feels like one!) but I strongly support athletics for kids, even at the elite level that requires hours of potential training, and possible injury.
I know the studies have mixed findings on whether or not sports really lead to greater success and less trouble (ex. "keeping kids off drugs" and such) but based on my personal experience, they are a very positive thing overall.
My cousin broke his face playing baseball this past season (hit in the face by a ball) and after I found out he was ok, the first thing I did was to reach out to my college athletics community and ask for references to surgeons, trainers and past players this has happened to to see how he could get back playing in the quickest and safest manner.

I would also consider moving if my current location was an obstacle in my child's athletic dreams/pursuits.

I do think there are lines to be drawn but I would not draw it at not even trying the sport at all (except maybe for the motorcycle big air type of stuff mentioned above ;))

You might picture me having my kids out in the yard doing drills on a daily basis in light of all of this but I actually don't. I have been following their lead and trying to sign them up for things here and there. But the only activities DD has done is ballet at a mellow studio, and swim lessons.
Nothing yet for DS (outside of swim lessons) although I am looking into what he might be able to do (tumbling/maybe ballet as he says he wants to) in addition to his swim lessons.

And if they end up never being athletes, I will feel disappointed on a certain level but nowhere near devastated. I would just support them in whatever else they want to pursue.

[brittone2]

I think I would let them try almost anything, with the possible exception of the xgames events with the motorcycle that flies through the air or maybe big wave surfing or free diving.

I know football and other contact sports are dangerous but I will not discourage the kids from playing stuff like that if they want to, especially anything team related.
I have said it before (so apologies for the broken record if it feels like one!) but I strongly support athletics for kids, even at the elite level that requires hours of potential training, and possible injury.
I know the studies have mixed findings on whether or not sports really lead to greater success and less trouble (ex. "keeping kids off drugs" and such) but based on my personal experience, they are a very positive thing overall.
My cousin broke his face playing baseball this past season (hit in the face by a ball) and after I found out he was ok, the first thing I did was to reach out to my college athletics community and ask for references to surgeons, trainers and past players this has happened to to see how he could get back playing in the quickest and safest manner.

I would also consider moving if my current location was an obstacle in my child's athletic dreams/pursuits.

I do think there are lines to be drawn but I would not draw it at not even trying the sport at all (except maybe for the motorcycle big air type of stuff mentioned above ;))

You might picture me having my kids out in the yard doing drills on a daily basis in light of all of this but I actually don't. I have been following their lead and trying to sign them up for things here and there. But the only activities DD has done is ballet at a mellow studio, and swim lessons.
Nothing yet for DS (outside of swim lessons) although I am looking into what he might be able to do (tumbling/maybe ballet as he says he wants to) in addition to his swim lessons.

And if they end up never being athletes, I will feel disappointed on a certain level but nowhere near devastated. I would just support them in whatever else they want to pursue.
Participation in athletics was a huge, huge influence in my life. Huge.

My major concern with the riskier athletic pursuits is that I have witnessed first hand the lack of training and knowledge of injury diagnosis and management that some coaches have. In some states, athletic trainers are on site for practices and all sporting events. In some schools, I think it is much tougher to access an athletic trainer.

I do think in some ways coaches today are far more knowledgeable about things like dehydration and concussions. However, even with the knowledge that concussions can have a lasting impact, there are still IME plenty of coaches that don't take them as seriously as they should.

I would have less of an issue with participation in riskier sports if I felt the athletes had an ATC readily available, and that the culture wasn't so "suck it up and deal or you aren't going to play." Granted, that happens even in less "risky" sports too. I competed through many significant injuries, and I think it built character. It also did some damage in a few cases.

In some regions, I think recognition and management of injuries has really improved, but I do worry about the knowledge base of an average or old-school high school coach, kwim?

Risk to me is different depending on what the framework is-what type of support is available to the injured athlete? What is the school/team culture if an athlete does suffer a significant injury? Does the coach pressure the athlete, parents, or trainers to have the athlete return to full practice? What type of training does the coach have in recognizing serious injuries like concussions and what is the protocol for managing those types of injuries? (eta: and remember that some concussions can actually present rather subtly, and not all coaches know how to detect those. Cumulative subtle concussions are also thought to be problematic). Are the ATCs able to work closely with the coach and athlete? etc. I think there is something to be said for sucking up an injury from time to time, but there needs to be a very delicate balance of how that is handled depending on the athlete, the type of injury we're talking about, and whether there is a real "need" for the athlete to do so.

Is it Gaye that is an ATC? Perhaps she can speak to this topic a bit but I think she's had some other interesting posts in the past.

eta: If I felt confident in the framework and support system, I'd have less of an issue with participation in many of the "riskier" sports. If I felt confident that injury prevention, management, etc. would be handled *appropriately* I would consider most sports. However, as a therapist and a former athlete, and the sister to high level wrestler brothers (one wrestled in college) ,I've seen too many coaches who aren't knowledgeable risk damage to their athletes. FWIW, I also have two friends who are ATCs for college level teams.

[gatorsmom]

When we lived in the twin cities, where hockey is huge, I did not promote it. Not only for the injuries and the equipment but because it took over the family lives of everyone I knew who played it. It consumed their entire winter.

I'd really prefer that my boys not play football for the injuries or baseball because i find it painfully boring. But if they were very passionate about something, I would help them pursue it.

As for Sisi, she can do whatever she wants. I was a cheerleader in high school and it was a life saver for me. Our school never put an emphasis on weight or appearance. They also never did mounts. So far at the ripe old age of 4yo, she appears to be more interested in soccer, ballet and downhill skiing. But if she wanted to do something else, I'd be supportive.

ETA: forgot to mention that I absolutely discourage anything that requires a motor, like dirt bike racing. HEAVILY DISCOURAGE.

[kijip]

I would gently steer away from sports that have higher incidences of injuries and hope they don't like soccer. Soccer is painfully boring to me.

If they really want to participate, however, I would first assess whether they had a true desire or a fleeting interest.

I agree. Passion is all well and good but honestly, as parents sometimes it's ok to say no. It is a privilege to be able to follow any passion you might have, not a need. Plenty of parents (in fact MOST) do not have the money for some of these sports. Other sports are dangerous or degrading or morally objectionable to a families value structure (my parents can't be the only ones who would not have allowed a cheerleading costume.)

I don't let my kids walk on the railroad bridge because they have a passion for trains and bridges. I am not going to always so no but there are times when I can't say yes or I would be really quite worried to say yes.

This is all academic for me ladies. The only competition my older son will be in in the next couple of years? Spelling bee, pinewood derby and robot thingy. None are things I would have chosen or picked but neither seems to pose a great risk to his health either. So we do it. With my younger son, who knows. But saying no or encouraging him to pick something else is not a lack of support for him.

[AngB]

I have a 15 year old brother who has been playing football for the last couple of years. He's decent at the high school level (at least for his age) and often plays almost all of the game on offense and defense, much to my mom's annoyance. He loves it though. There really are A LOT of injuries in football, and not "little" stuff like knees and ankles, heads and necks. We watched more than 1 game be stopped last year for an ambulance and head injury. One of the kids my brother plays with had 3 concussions in less than a year before A DOCTOR put his foot down and refused to give him the okay to play for the rest of the year. (This kid is back to playing now.) That was when they were in 8th grade...3 concussions in a year for a 14 year old! I also did not make friends with the coach that year when I made my brother come off the field during a football practice during a thunderstorm with rain and lightning all around us with metal fencing all around the players- I'm not afraid of storms but that lightning was way too close (other teams had been practicing and stopped long before I said enough and got my brother out of there. And they continued practicing even after I made my brother stop. My parents were out of town at the time and I was responsible for my brother so it fell to me because those coaches had no sense at all.)

While there can be injuries in ALL sports, most sports aren't as bad as the bit I've seen in just 2 seasons of football. And we played at competitive levels (softball/baseball) 4-5 days a week and 120+ games over the summer. In many years playing competitively, I saw an ambulance pulled on a field once--for a broken leg--we had a bad year where 3 of us broke our noses--but the injuries were pretty minor overall and serious injuries were very, very rare. When I volunteered in our hospital's radiology dept., the consensus from the techs was they did head CT's on football players way too often to let their kids play.

So I will *try* to discourage DS from football and hockey ($$$). Absolutely under no circumstances before high school for football, so hopefully by then there will be other sports he likes. But if he is as interested in it as my brother, I will probably grudgingly let him play.

[brittone2]

Here's a somewhat related thread with some comments from Gaye, who is a BBB mom and an ATC (eta: that's a certified athletic trainer)

http://windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=372641&highlight=injuries+sports

This is with respect to head injuries and rules, culture, coach knowledge/training, ATC input, etc.

[ast96]

I live where football is king. I love college football. But I do not want my boys to play football.

I do let the older ones play flag football. But I can't get behind putting my children in full pads in 100 degree humid heat and letting them be tackled by other children. I just can't.

Fortunately, my kids are not really the type who would enjoy it anyway. Oh, they THINK they would. But that's because they don't really know what it would entail. I don't feel like I am depriving them.

We have pretty much tried every other sport. My oldest is trying fencing this fall. The middle might let me get him back into tennis lessons. I would prefer they all swim. But no tackle football.

[niccig]

I agree. Passion is all well and good but honestly, as parents sometimes it's ok to say no. It is a privilege to be able to follow any passion you might have, not a need. Plenty of parents (in fact MOST) do not have the money for some of these sports. Other sports are dangerous or degrading or morally objectionable to a families calue structure (my parents can't betogether only ones who would not have allowed a cheerleading costume.)



I think my problem is saying no without letting them try it, particularly at the very young levels when the sport isn't as intense, mostly because this is what I experienced as a child. If it's w/i our means/we can get DS to where he needs to be, I'll let DS give it a go at the lower levels. At the higher levels, I'll have to reassess if the sport is still a benefit to him or if there's now too many cons.

There's always a chance that after trying the sport, the child isn't interested after all. DH's cousin begged to play football, his parents weren't for it at all, but finally relented. He tried one season and decided it wasn't for him.

My DS has already worked out that he's too small for basketball and football. He's average for baseball and soccer and enjoys playing, but I don't think we'll be competing in any of these. He is good at gymnastics and it's a sport where his smaller size is actually a benefit, and I think it's safer for him to do flips in gym under coach's instruction then to do them on my couch! So for now, gymnastics it is.

[Liziz]

There's definitely sports I'd prefer DD picks over others, just because of my own preferences. But in general, DH and I would let DD try whatever she's interested in. If it was a sport with a higher injury risk, I'd be very cautious and we'd be very involved in making sure the team/coaches/etc. she was involved with were well-trained and appropriate. I have absolutely no desire for a sports "star" or a kid who wins tons of competitions, so I would never actively push DD to a very high level of any sport. Mostly, I believe strongly that team sports and extracurriculars are great for kids ... it's important to be involved in something you're passionate about. If it's a sport, that's great. If it's drama/debate/other non-sport extracurricular, that's great too.

[queenmama]

No, not any.

It's unlikely that he'd play anything too rough (football or hockey) since he attends a private school that doesn't offer them and isn't athletic enough to push for playing for a city league.

[smilequeen]

No, I used to think I would but not anymore. At this point I think that all sports have redeeming qualities of teamwork and physical activity. There are some I will not offer or encourage but I would allow if my kids really wanted to try. I don't have girls so I don't have to worry much about cheerleading. My boys are 75%ile for height so gymnastics is out. They already play hockey which is on many people's lists. And football...not something I would pick and one contact sport at a time is our rule, so since hockey is the passion around here, no one would want to give it up for football :)

[fivi2]

I would (probably) allow high school cheerleading, but not the private "competitive" cheerleading that is so popular around here. I am on the fence about everything else.

I am not sure what I would do about Football. In my opinion (watching my nephews through pop warner and middle school) it just has too many injuries, and too many serious injuries. Yes, other sports do too, but from what I have seen, football is just much worse. Just my opinion, not based in fact!

[wellyes]

Just to clarify... for me, when I say I'm opposed to it, I don't necessarily mean I'd completely forbid it. I just would try to influence my child away from activities I consider inadequately regulated. For me, that's cheerleading (the advanced tumbling aspects of it) and football.

But if my kid was passionate about it, I don't know what I'd do. We'd have to talk, look at the specific program, assess the coach. I do know that we are likely to encourage some specific sports, and will foster any innate interests that have in almost any other. Or, as it often works with kids, interest spiked because a friend is into it.

[tmahanes]

I am not going to forbid anything. However I will do my absolute best to discourage wrestling. As an ATC I have too many issues with the wrestling culture. While there have been vast improvements in the weight loss mentality there are still many many coaches that will do whatever they can to get around the weight loss safeguards. IME also with wrestling if you have an unskilled opponent there seems to be more of a likely hood that unskilled opponent would cause an injury to my child simply because a ref cannot always stop something like that before it is too late (for example an unskilled wrestler picks up opponent and drops him on his head before the ref can stop it instead of controlling the opponent to the floor like the rules state.)

Allowing cheerleading would depend on the education level of the coach. I will not allow someone to teach my child stunts if they are simply a teacher that they pulled to fill a spot.

Regardless of what sport he chooses we will have in depth discussions on the risks. My kids will be able to rattle off the signs of concussions and the risks of unreported concussions. I am planning on making it very clear that those signs and symptoms will be reported and not ignored. I will strongly enforce preventative measures such as mouth guards.

I don't know that I would be willing to move for a better team but I would totally be willing to move to get away from a coach that did not respect the severity of head injuries (but would only do so after a huge battle with administration)

I do however think more and more coaches are starting to realize the cost of ignoring injuries.

I do hope he loves sports since they obviously have been a huge party of my life but if not that's they way things go! :rolleyes:

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[acmom]

My DH and I are both big football fans but are really hoping DS doesn't want to play football. DH is a physician and is very concerned about the impact of football injuries, especially the head injuries/concussions and long term implications of them. My dad also played football (HS and college) and is now facing double knee replacements and has significant back issues, due in large part to old football injuries. Not exactly sure what our response will be if he really wants to play.

But outside of that, we are open to anything they want to try.

[Cam&Clay]

Soccer moms and over zealous sports moms scare me.


We're not so scary! Actually, I am a very high level soccer mom and there are a few scary ones out there! I am very level headed, but you kinda have to be when you are the keeper's mom!

[elektra]

We're not so scary! Actually, I am a very high level soccer mom and there are a few scary ones out there! I am very level headed, but you kinda have to be when you are the keeper's mom!

You know I am sure things have changed over the past 30 years but as I recall, the worst parents who were "agro", overzealous, dramatic, and all around trouble makers were the ones in the "everyone plays" AYSO and Little League types of teams. That is where you have more widespread cluelessness about how good the kids are, what their capabilities are, and even the rules of the game.
When you get into more elite levels, where kids have to try out and the team is made of of kids with a smaller range of skill sets, usually all at a higher than average level, the parents knew the drill and just didn't cause the same kind of drama.
As I said, I'm sure it's a whole different ballgame these days but I think it can actually get better once you get to more competitive teams, at least as far as parent drama. (I am hoping at least!)

[hellokitty]

I wouldn't forbid it, but I know that I will not be happy if my kids pursued high contact sports, like football (dh just mentioned tonight that he has tons of scars on his hands from playing on the fb team, back then they didn't wear gloves like they do now), lacrosse, and hockey are probably my biggest ones that cause me to worry. I'm also not a fan of car/motorcycle racing if you want to consider that a sport. I have a relative in sports medicine and he has expressed concern to me before over the number of injuries that kids sustain through sports. No, you can't live your life in fear, but I had friends who had knee surgery from playing soccer in high school, male cheerleaders whose backs have never been the same, other freak injuries (one friend almost became blind from a ball to the eye), etc.. They were young when these accidents/surgeries happened, but these are injuries that you never fully recover from and they will continue to cause more aches and pains as you age. So, it's not that I want to rob my children of the experience and glory of certain sports, I am concerned about some of these sports and their long term effects on their health, should they get injuries that will haunt them the rest of their lives.

Don't get me wrong. I want my kids to play some sports. I want them to play it for enjoyment and as safely as possible. To me, I'm thinking more long term stuff, which to me tends to sway against most of the team sports. All of my friends DHs who started playing baseball recently all broke a limb, these are guys who were very athletic when they were younger, they probably pushed themselves too hard, being macho and that's how it happened. I don't even know how great of a long term sport it would be, even if you could find someone to play with, just due to the fact that there are a freakish # of 30 something men that I know who have really hurt themselves trying to play again, lol.

Right now my kids are in martial arts, DS2 is in baseball (but, he's starting to lose interest in it, so we will see what happens after next spring), they play golf and will probably start formal lessons next yr, they are also taking swimming lessons, which to me is just a mandatory life skill, but I would love for them to be on the swim team. I am also encouraging them to learn how to run, since I wish that I did not grow up hating running so much, it's a great sport that you can do for personal enjoyment, socially or independently, I wish I would have known how great of a long term sport it would have been, so I could have started earlier (kind of a sucky time to start in your late 30's, lots of aches and pains and random injuries that throw me for a loop). I'd also like them to learn tennis some time down the road, although I admit that tennis was the only sport I was ever decent at in high school, and now I have nobody to play with, since we live in an area where tennis is unpopular. Oh, I know this will get raised eyebrows, but they are also into archery (DS1 is actually very good, and he is my non-athletic kid, so this is exciting for me to see him excel at a sport) and shooting (once again DS1, my non-athletic kid is very good at this, to the point where DH thinks that if he gets enough practice, he may actually be good enough to compete). I loved archery (yeah, back in the day when they let you do it in gym class!), and would love to pick it up again. It's been fun seeing it on the olympics and I've been in awe of how fancy the equipment is now! As you can tell, I'm not a team sports type of person. I already told my story in prior threads, it was a horrible experience for me, as a weak player and being made to feel bad about my abilities (and it wasn't like I wasn't trying, I knew I wasn't very good at it). So, I can see why those who are strong at athletics thrive off of team sports, but those who are weak at sports, IMO should focus more on independent sports, where they aren't made to feel like crap if they aren't a top player.

[blisstwins]

No hockey, football, or boxing. To violent and I don't think we can handle team sport schedules.
No cheerleading--I was a gymnast and wanted to when I was little. My father said I could compete in any sport I wanted to cheer for, but he would not have me play that role. That insistance and perpective influenced me and I would make the same point to my own daughter.
My daughter does ballet, but only once a week. I am leery of that world. Same with gymnastics. Both of my children do it, but just once a week.
They also took horseback riding lessons a few times this summer and I did not sign them up for camp even though they begged. I just think it is a dangerous activity. I much prefer tennis, swimming, and skating and so far they have not really shown more than casual interest outside these sports.

[waver]

My kids are pretty scrawny, so I think I am "safe" from high contact sports.

However, I am worried about cheerleading, ballet, synchro swimming (even though I think my fish-like DD would love it!) because I had some friends who participated in those sports who had major body image problems. One friend told me that her coach put a list of things they could and could not eat, and they had a weekly weigh-in. Many of our HS cheerleaders had some level of eating disorder. Of course, I know it's not everyone, but what I saw was so scary for me.

My daughter loves dance, but seems to be steering away from ballet. I have no dance background, but a girlfriend who does contemporary and jazz dance told me that those types of dance are less focused on the thin figures. I hope that is true, because I think I will try tap and modern for her in the future.

My kids also do not like competition...so I'm not sure what sports they will eventually like to pursue further. I think a team experience would be good. They are still young, so we'll see. Older one hates soccer and tennis, so this has unfortunately rubbed off on the younger one, who initially seemed to like soccer at least. DH and I grew up in a family of tennis players, so this is a little sad for us, and we hope to revisit tennis in the future.

What they like: dance, skiing, ice skating, and swimming. We will try swim team in the fall.

[MontrealMum]

I think I would let them try almost anything, with the possible exception of the xgames events with the motorcycle that flies through the air or maybe big wave surfing or free diving.

I know football and other contact sports are dangerous but I will not discourage the kids from playing stuff like that if they want to, especially anything team related.
I have said it before (so apologies for the broken record if it feels like one!) but I strongly support athletics for kids, even at the elite level that requires hours of potential training, and possible injury.
I know the studies have mixed findings on whether or not sports really lead to greater success and less trouble (ex. "keeping kids off drugs" and such) but based on my personal experience, they are a very positive thing overall.


This sums up my philosophy fairly well. Sure, there are sports that I'd prefer my DS not excel in...I'd rather not have to deal with the early morning hockey schedule or sit watching a game that I find boring (I won't name all of those, I don't want to offend people). But I think that it's important to give him the opportunity at least. My cousin competed at elite levels (and is now a very successful coach), and so did my DH. I have an idea of what we might be in for even if I didn't live it myself. My attitude now is take it as it comes, and adjust accordingly if necessary.

[roseyloxs]

No Football. What is happening with former NFL players today has me scared about the real long term effects of multiple concussions. I think all those pads and fancy helmets give the players a false sense of security.

I love soccer so I am crossing my fingers that its a winner with the kids.


Actually, I am a very high level soccer mom and there are a few scary ones out there! I am very level headed, but you kinda have to be when you are the keeper's mom!

I do not pity you. I found it hard enough to be the keeper's sister.

[essnce629]

I don't think I'd say no way to any sport if either boy really wanted to do it and/or had the talent. DS1 is not really into team sports, but DS2 has been obsessed with sports since he was one and seems to have some great athletic ability already-- has a great arm and aim with the football, can already hit a baseball, and loves to shoot baskets and dribble (and he just barely turned 3!) He's already doing tricks on his scooter that he got for his birthday and has been talking about getting a skateboard when he turns four! I can definitely see him playing baseball or being a football quarterback.

I think the only sport I wouldn't want my boys to do is gymnastics since I think it stunts your growth. As a kid though, I ALWAYS wanted to be in gynastics and never got a chance to.

And I don't understand all the major dislike of cheerleading. I was a cheerleader all four years of high school and LOVED it! I wish I had started on a squad earlier as it was so much fun. And I would have loved to cheer in college, but my school (USC) only had male yell leaders and female song leaders (who are more like dancers than cheer leaders). As a cheer leader you don't have to do competitive cheer and you don't have to be a flyer. I'm tall, so I was never a flyer, just a base.

[dogmom]

As a nurse that used to work in a Neuro ICU and then a Trauma ICU my kids know they cannot play football. Hockey partially due to injuries otherwise due to expense time issues, they can pick another sport. Other sports are on are the fence. We make choices all the time for our children. I think blocking off few are not irresponsible. Oh, and horses, I can't let my kids do horses because I have a mortgage to pay. If I said, "I won't let my kids play video games" no one would question me.

[maestramommy]

Other sports are on are the fence. We make choices all the time for our children. I think blocking off few are not irresponsible. Oh, and horses, I can't let my kids do horses because I have a mortgage to pay. If I said, "I won't let my kids play video games" no one would question me.

:hysterical: I think this is along the lines of what Kjip was saying about parental discretion. I know a lot of people answered, "no sport is off limits," but realistically speaking, how many of us can truly afford for our kids to follow every passion on our dime? Also, for us it's not just about the money, it's about the time. We will not agree to our kids participating in a sport/activity, or combo of sports that is going to suck up gobs of family time. Dh was pretty bitter (okay, not that bad) over the girls having ballet every Saturday morning last year. It took up the whole morning, every Saturday, which meant we couldn't do anything else. Arwyn has been placed in the same class this year, but we are consoling ourselves with the fact that it is only 30 minutes, leaving us still a good chunk of time to do other fun things, like taking her rock climbing at the Y.

My pastor told me that until the late 90s NH still had blue laws, so no sports games were held on Sundays. That is now a thing of the past, and there are weeks on endwhen many kids are just gone from church. Now even if you are not a religious person and/or don't go to worship on Sunday, wouldn't you want that time for your families?

[Cam&Clay]

My pastor told me that until the late 90s NH still had blue laws, so no sports games were held on Sundays. That is now a thing of the past, and there are weeks on endwhen many kids are just gone from church. Now even if you are not a religious person and/or don't go to worship on Sunday, wouldn't you want that time for your families?

All of DS1's soccer games during the regular season are on Sundays. Tournaments take up Saturday and Sunday. DH and I are not at all religious so we don't care. XH, however, has a huge problem with it. I remind him that they had to pick a day and other religions would be offended by Saturday games. In our league, the house level teams play on Saturdays. We get the fields on Sunday.

[scriptkitten]

i would not bar my children from any sport.

i was a cheerleader and cheer captain in HS. i absolutely LOVED it. since i was tall, i was mostly a base. i hope my daughter takes it up. it was a great experience.

[jacksmomtobe]

There are sports I would prefer that my kids not play. As they are older a big piece of that is related to the commitment involved in some of the sports. I think there are two biggies that I would like to avoid hockey for ds & swimming for both but in particular dd.

Dh played hockey in college but it is so different today. Kids in 2nd grade are playing from August to early April. In our city the times/days vary each week so I feel it would make it difficult to organize anything for the rest of the family. I was pretty happy when ds got on an indoor soccer team last winter because that meant no hockey. I think it is too much at such a young age. My other non interest in hockey is that we have a friend who got paralyzed from playing a charity hockey game and when ds was a baby dh broke 4 ribs & punctured a lung playing hockey. I get a mixed vibe from ds on whether he wants to try it. I feel like DH is more interested in him doing it then he is. I also don't think DH knows what the commitment for hockey is these days. My big hope is that DS tries it and decides that he doesn't like it.

My daughter has a very athletic build and at just 6 I get a lot of questions about her sports future. One sport for her that I would prefer she not get involved with is swimming. I'm fine if she does a rec summer team but I did it growing up and its such a grind. I also think the intensity level is higher than when I grew up. I would prefer she play more of a team sport.

Kids are specializing in sports so young. It's a bit ridiculous. I want my kids to try things and decide what they like.

An interesting note at a fair last May there were some Coaches aggressively recruiting for Pop Warner. DH couldn't believe how they were. I explained to him its because no one wants their kids to play football anymore due to the injury factor. it's no longer one of the "all american sports" that everyone wants their kids to play.