Does an 8 year old boy need to do out of school sport?

[cazzzz]

Hi

Please help with my dilemma.

I have 8 yo and 5 yo boys.

The 8yo has a weekly schedule that goes like this:

Tues night - swim lesson (non negotiable as we live in Australia)

Thurs and Fri night - after school care due to my job

Sat morning - woodwork class (which he loves).

He also learns guitar and soon will have increasing amounts of homework.

He now wants to do football - Wed night and Sunday morning (training and games).

I would really appreciate your help with these questions:

1. Do boys need to do sport and why?

1. Is it realistic to add this into our weekly routine?

Thanks

[flier]

It looks like he has alot on already. Does he manage to keep up with his homework etc?

That aside, the view I have is that if they are keen to do activites to go with it.

How easy or difficult do you find it, taking hinm to after school activities currently?

My DS has activities twice a week after school and I'd find it difficult to do any more that that (and I'm a sahm)

[cazzzz]

Hi Flier

Thanks so much for your message.

I agree he does have quite a lot on already, which is why I'm very hesitant about taking on anything else.

At present I only have to taxi him to swimming and woodwork, because all other things are at school (i.e. after school club when I work, and guitar, are within school).

I think I'm feeling the pressure about this because of the social implications of sport for boys... and this is where I'd really appreciate some views....

[applepudding]

Sport is important for all children re keeping fit, and I think its important to encourage them with something they enjoy, particularly if its something they are likely to continue after the more active years of early childhood.

That said, you and your child do have an awful lot on already during your week. Will this leave your child time just to 'chill', and how much difficulty will this add to your weekly routine? What about your 5-year old? I would think your main difficulty will come in a year or two when the 5-year old also wants to do activities which may not coincide with those of his older brother.

I am lucky in that DS's school offers football training led by a qualified coach both before and after school two days per week.

[Beetroot]

I think if he wants to do it then you should let him give it a go,

Kids can do far more than we realise in my opinion.

Mine are choristers and sing an extra 21 hours per week
then have prep and sport
and they are thriving

Give them as many opportunities as you can

[Beetroot]

that should say 21 hours per week on top of their normal school work

[MollieO]

I'd rather have a ds interested in sports than spending their whole time playing computer games. Personally I'd encourage it and maybe see if you can share some of the taxiing with other parents.

[cazzzz]

Thanks apple pudding

I agree with a lot of what you are saying - I think chilling and family time are really important (and homework time and not being overtired).

I guess the main reason I am even contemplating this extra activity is the social implications of sport for boys.

I notice that lots of the boys now play different sports informally each playtime, and I'm a bit concerned that not playing a sport will be a social hindrance.

Do any of you have teenage boys who have never got particularly passionate about a sport? Has this been a problem?

[cazzzz]

Hi everyone

Lots of great comments here - thankyou.

Beetroot - I'm amazed about the 21 hours of choral activity! Just goes to show what they are capable of.

jajas - you've gone straight to the point with the guitar comment - I'm feeling so sad about this because he did great in guitar last year, but over the last term was swapped to a crappy teacher and has lost all initiative - heartbreaking, because initially he nursed "rock band" dreams and music can be such a great social opener too.

MollieO - I completely agree with the computer thing (Game cube was banned and put in the cupboard after 3 months because it had become the equivalent of a class A drug ... but that's another story!).

[RoseOfTheOrient]

My (just) 10 year old would do sports all day, every day if it was up to him. As it is, in fact, up to me, he does two classes a week - wrestling on a Wed. evening, and athletics (track and field) on Saturday mornings. Some of his friends do soccer on a Sunday, but that would mean a family day out would be impossible if he is busy both Sat. and Sunday. He has three hours of sport a week at school and he plays outside almost every day after school if the weather is fine.
When he goes to junior high school in three years time, they have to join a sports club and the training for that is pretty intense (most weekdays and most weekends...) so he will be doing much more then. Neither DH nor I are sporty, really, and I sometimes feel we may be holding him back, but there is still plenty of time for him to do sports, and we don't want him to be tired out.

[Beetroot]

Sport is great social thing as well as, when they get older and start to play in teams.

YOu child gets home at - what 4 at the latest? and has at least 3 or four hours before bed
theree is plenty of time for family time and homeowkr as well as football and other activities

[cazzzz]

Hi beetroot

Tues, Thurs and Fri we don't get home until 6 - 6.30pm because of swimming (Tues) and my work (Thurs and Fri).

This kind of "squashes" the week.

Does anyone else do work which runs over into afterschool time?

How do you juggle your week around this?

[cazzzz]

Thankyou for all your messages everyone - this has been great (I don't come on to Mumsnet very often, but it's always helpful when I do).

I'm in Australia so I'm off to bed now. I'll look again tomorrow.

Goodnight all!

[Beetroot]

can yor child care do some of the after school activities?
Mates?