Academically Good But Falls Short In Other Areas.

[ScarletRed]

Academically Good But Falls Short In Other Areas.

I have 3 children and the eldest who will be 5 in August is on the G&T program at his school ? academically he is good and the school have even devised a program so he does age appropriate learning even though he spends a large percentage of the day with older children.

The only two things that he does outside school is swimming and football which he does with his brother (age 3) the problem I have here is that he just hates sporting activities and his brother loves it yet he goes out of his way to disrupt the lessons and ruin it for his brother and the other children in the class. At school he is not disruptive and excels yet out of school he is like the son of satan. I asked at school what he?s like in PE and they don?t have any problems with him participating in activities ? yet Saturdays when we go to football it?s a nightmare, to the point that for the last two weeks I haven?t taken him.

Do you think I should just drag him to the football lessons? I feel he needs to balance his academic side with extra curricular activities.

[LynetteScavo]

No, don't drag him to football. There probably is a sport which he would enjoy, you just have to discover what it is. It could be something as simple as bike riding.

I'd say keep taking him swimming though, as he needs to learn to swim.

[belledechocolatefluffybunny]

I don't think you can force a child that hates something like sport to be sporty. It's unfair on him, sorry. There are, however, alot of other sports that he may find interesting, fencing is more of a logic sport, he may like this more.

[ScarletRed]

I am perservering with the swimming despite the hissy fits. I don't think I can afford fencing (are you being serious?).

I just want him to enjoy being part of a team and being a team player and to do something with children his own age.

[belledechocolatefluffybunny]

Yes, fencing's great fun.

You may want him to be part of a team but he obviously hates football. He's only 4, there's plenty of time to worry about his academic side and the extra curricular activities. Just take them to the park and let them play on the swings.

[Jazzicatz]

My son was recommended judo as it involves a strategy - he loves it!

[gleegeekgleek]

Goodness no don't take him. It's not fair to expect all dc's to like the same things.

I'm sure you will find a sport which appeals. Have you thought of some sort of multi-sport holiday camp at half term and then he can try a few things and see which he likes best?

[belledechocolatefluffybunny]

Ladies, the child in question is 4. I wouldn't dream of allowing a 4 year old to go on a multi-sport camp. No fencing club will take a child this young because of the insurance.

Honestly, you don't need to push your children into team sports at 3 and 4 years old.

[ScarletRed]

We do go to the park alot and he does go around on his bike or scooter and he's happy to play football in the park with us.

I guess I am feeling a little pressure from external sources on why he doesn't play football/rugby/cricket etc etc

[belledechocolatefluffybunny]

Farking hell he's 4 years old! It doesn't matter if he's not playing football/rugby/cricket etc. If he's at a school where this is the norm then move him.

[gleegeekgleek]

Actually I do agree and I was thinking of the multisport camp thingy in a year or two (although there are holiday clubs here that do multisports for reception age kids). He's so little - at some stage the chances are he will find a sport he enjoys but he might not be sporty.
Agree definitely not worth stressing about.

[cory]

Not everybody is team player. Fact.

And he is still only a baby: even lots of children who later grow up to be team players are not emotionally ready at 4.

But if he grows up totally uninterested in team sports, that is allowed to. It doesn't mean he is a social failure; it just means he doesn't like team sports. I don't like team sports. I am absolutely charming

[CantSupinate]

School is very tiring, even for the brightest pupils. He sounds tired of structured activities, to me.

Sounds like he should be pulled out of footie completely and ideally put into a diffrent swimming class from his brother (remove the sibling rivalry element).

[dobby2001]

I would agree that he may well be tired by Saturday and not want to be doing another structured activity, especially if it is a sport he may not be keen on. There is so much emphasis on filling our kids time with stuff nowadays it makes me wonder how we can expect them to have any imagination - I have fallen for the guilt trap on that one as my DD is one of the few around here who has never done Ballet and dropped out of violin lessons - another parent at school found it incredible that "I did not just MAKE her"

It seems a shame for his brother if he disrupts the fottball so why not let him just have downtime until he finds something he likes? good luck

[ScarletRed]

The boys are already in separate swimming classes at the teachers request.

My husband will now take DS2 to football on his own and I am planning on taking DS1 and baby to dance class with me (thank god they are okay with children) - he actually seems very excited about dance class.