To not want all our weekends eaten up by ds's football playing?

Fabby that is a very good point about outside interests lasting into adult hood, I just take issue with the idea that a seven year old is doomed if he doesn't start Training NOW.

Sorry Swan was using them as an example, should have listed all the activities but could have taken ages.

I had a partner who went to Football every Sunday, I feel that as well as children partners need extra activities to keep them sane specifically when they work all week.

I saw what it done to my parents marriage neither having anything else going on other than family activities at weekends and of a night, my father ending up on the slot machines doing hundreds of pounds and my mother had an affair as neither had an outlet for their stressful jobs.

Definitely encourage an interest in sport, but just not at such a high price and committing to just one sport, at this age. I know at least two people in ds2's class who are brilliant at football, and they only just started aged 9 started training once a week in addition to Saturday matches. No way was it three times a week. They did other sport too, and attended Beavers/Cubs.

At seven you are full of enthusiasm for all sorts of things, and football is the most obvious attention grabber...but there are many other things that feed your child and he could find interesting too. After all, they do PE in school as well, and often After school football there too.

I wonder if she would feel the same if it was one of her daughters doing something she might be able to empathise with more? I think not letting him do it because in a couple of years one of his sisters might want to do something else is really mean tbh, let him play (he might hate it) and deal with what the others want to do when it happens. There is lots of lift sharing and co-operation with most sports as plentyof people have more than one child.

I think if dc want to be involved in sport - encourage it. Too many are prostrate at the altar of video games. There are two parents - no? Why would his sisters miss out if he participates in football matches every Saturday a.m.?

Oh yes, and somewhere in there Ds1 is also doing football training round the corner, but he takes himself as he's 11

Nonsense Narky. How do you know that when he's 8 or 9 she won't feel more up to weekend commitments? No-one has said it will be five years of NO FOOTBALL, just that she doesn't feel up to it NOW, with two younger sisters. What a very strange world you all live in, where the girls are all horse riding and dancing, and boys are playing on teams. I don't remember my childhood being nearly as competitive as you make it out.. Horse riding is also extremely expensive, not many people can do it, so why mention it?

Anyway off to bed (before tomorrow's, let me see Singing, Ballet x 2, Cubs and Scouts, for my three kids)

I think the 'feminine' hobbies are a reaction to the attitude coming through from Emanka, that it's competitive sport itself that's part of the problem- asking what benefit children get from it.

Isn't it give and take? I sat by a very breezy pitch this morning watching DS bowled out for no runs play cricket. He'll come shopping with me another weekend because that's when I get to go shopping and DH is mending the car. Or something. That's how it works. We all get to do what we like doing at time, but we get to do what other people like doing too.

GoodDays we are not talking about occasional trips to farms, or train journeys. We are discussing whether OP wants a thrice weekly commitment to football ALONE.

I know lots of people with three kids. The first does every activity under the sun. By the third child, the parents are just fitting with all the things they have to take the first two to. Much better to slowly build up, perhaps just swimming lessons and a bit of football, and then see how it works out when they are older and the little girls have developed their interests.

Fabby I find it odd that you assume the girls will want to dance and the boys do football. There are sports girls like too! And other interests.

She doesn't want her 6 year old to play football, so obviously her 3 and 4 year olds won't be able to go to ballet/dance classes when they're older. Or orchestra/choir. Or hockey, netball, tennis etc

To be careful they're not overloaded with activities is one thing. To decide that the oldest isn't allowed to upset her weekend plans is selfish. And he will remember, in 5 years when his sisters are off on a Saturday horse riding and he's sitting at home because he can't get onto a football team because the other boys have 5 years more playing experience.

Exotic I think that is nonsense. To talk about personal statements when your child is Seven! He doesn't have to be enrolled in the blooming Cadets! There are plenty of activities which don't involve thrice weekly commitment from parents at expense of other family time. We do so many activities now. They are tailored to what our children are interested in. No-one is shoehorned.
BUT when I have to cart other children around, keep them up late, can't get homework done I think carefully about what my priorities are, and whether it is turning me into a stressed badtempered creature. There are lots of activities my children would benefit from, but don't do, for precisely this reason. We've given up swimming lessons, ds1 doesn't do Judo (although I'd probably like him to) and we can't fit in drama...Much as we'd like to...

My ds's siblings enjoy being outside so are happy pottering about. They like to march their brother for a bit, then we play or find a park. Away matches often result in a trip somewhere near the ground afterwards.

They have fun, build on sibling relationships, learn compromise and patience. Build friendships with other children watching, learn about family time, get exercise and fresh air.

What about when my older ds's get taken to a farm? Should I not take my youngest at all as the older ones don't get as much out of it? Or when we take ds3 on a train? Forget that idea too? And watching dh play rugby? Is that out too? Or ok as he's an adult?

I would be more bothered that the other 2 DCs weren't doing any weekend activities than taking time out to encourage the active DC.

The DS must have picked up on a lot of negative feelings re his football hobby. That must be pretty hard for him when the majority of other kids there will have supportive people with them.

Perhaps it's best all round if he can get lifts off other families as much as poss for everyones sake including his.

No.
I think she is right not to get sucked in. There are ways to play football or indeed to take exercise, which don't involve such a packed schedule. Like just once on Sat? I found there were lots of different types of football in our area on offer.

Or find someone who is prepared to share the pickup and drop off with her.

Mine have just got interested aged 9 and 11. And to be honest, I could never have fitted it in when they were younger with bedtimes, homework, and little sister (she was same age as ds2 - twin) I would have refused.
There is always footie in the park anyway...just the most informal exercise with friends after school if you want it...

Maybe the sisters would like to play football too, when they are older?

Being part of dancing has given my dd so much confidence and forged friendships. It's 'her' thing and something she's starting to shine at. She really needed this for lots of reasons. Nothing we do at home could have given her that.

I doubt she'll be a professional dancer as an adult...well maybe, who knows, but it's not about that. What it's giving her now in terms of self esteem and something to be proud about is priceless.

It gets easier as they get older-you leave siblings at home alone.

I did 15yrs of football with different ones -possibly more. I am really pleased that I did, even though the cold and the mud were unpleasant at the time.And I hate football.