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Where we live it is extremely competitive for kids' sports. Kids are put into sports very early and they get private lessons as well when they are little just so they have the edge when they do the team sport thing in elementary school. It's crazy. We are personally not like that although both DH and I are super athletic. We just don't see the benefit in pushing kids when they are little and taking all the fun away.
What is it like where you live?
Same here. We are athletic too but I have kind of backed off all the extra stuff right now. We do one thing at a time. With 4 young ones, it is really hard to manage all kinds of after school stuff. I know with my son, just because I will feel like he will fall behind, we would probably try to put him in sports early whether it is wrong or right. Of course, I hope he wants to and has an interest or 2, but I want all my kids to play competive sports...I think it builds character. I think I started around 5th grade. Now they start in kindergarten. I don't know what age is appropriate really.
Football, baseball, basketball are early starts here for sure...now tennis is, golf if you have access, swim team is uber early, volleyball for girls now, cheerleading at 5!, not to mention dance, gymnastics, piano, etc, etc ...too much!
We've had DS1 who is 5.5 y.o. in something since he was a few months old. Gymboree until almost 4 (they had a great introduction to sports class too), swimming, gymnastics, karate and now indoor soccer and yet I feel like he may be behind others already. How crazy is that? We want him to be happy and we always ask him ahead of time. We tried kickball over the summer in a league that was described as "non-competitive" and I ended up fighting with a dad on the field at the first session! And I am so not confrontational too! He was horrible and yelling at his son to get every ball and it was just unfair and ridiculous. We didn't do it again after that b/c DS1 found it too stressful and the other kids, at 4.5 were pros already and DS1 was too upset over it.
It just worries me. I want him to be happy!!! I wish it were less competitive for our babies. :)
Yes, kids here do multiple sports. In the summer they do 2 competitive sports but while school is in session they only do one activity.
it's pretty competitve here too. We put the kids in a lot but we tell them to have fun. The parents I come across make that pretty difficult though. They are really into it and can be obnoxious. We always tell our kids to do their best and if they ever get bored with it, they can try something new.
We are the same way. It should be all about fun at these young ages.....or even the older ages! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Jojogirl
It is very competitive here, especially for my 10 year old. Football in particular. During the fall EVERYTHING revolves around it for my son. 3 practices a week at 2-2 1/2 hours each, and a game every weekend. Heaven forbid you don't take it as though it is the NFL, lol. It is like this to a slightly lesser extent with his baseball and basketball. My son is very driven and highly competitive so this suits him just fine. It is me who has the problem with the demands on our family time, especially now with a new baby. I spend lots of evenings carting kids from 1 practice to another. Thankfully ds2 chooses to not want to be so deeply involved in sports. He likes to play a few things but just isn't so driven. He is also younger, so we will see in time.
My son just won 3rd place in wrestling today. I'm pretty proud and don't need him to be #1
The sports scene here is pretty laid back. In t-ball the coaches stay on the field with the kids to help them out. No score is kept. In soccer the kids are pushed a bit more, but still no score kept. Personally I think the kids should have to endure a loss here and there just to make them more tolerant with other things, but that's just my thinking.