To not be bothered if son likes football

I think you just need to take a bit of a “yeah, we’ll see” response and not engage with it too much, because at the end of the day who knows what he’ll like before he’s even here? They’ll soon get bored, and besides you’re the parents so will be able to support him as you see best.

I love football and DS started little toddler football classes as soon as he could at 18 months but then it will be the same when DD's are old enough to join as girls can (obviously) also enjoy football.

To play football, you only need a ball. I think that's a reason why it is so popular, anyone can have a kick about.

It’s because it’s what most boys play, it’s the most popular sport in the UK, it’s a bonding activity to play, talk about, watch etc. and it’s financially accessible to everyone.

Why is being gifted a football kit a bad thing?

DH is into football, more playing than watching,especially since hes older and had a knee op.
DS has no interest at all in football but he is into another sport that DH never played. DS plays at school but I go to watch games with him and DH goes to the gym with him.
It was actually DD who played football

I don’t like football either, but agree with the poster above that the exercise and socialisation opportunities are good for them. Why not just tell them that you’ll get him to give it a go and see if he likes it. Do think it’s bizarre they’re thinking so far ahead, but I guess at least they’re taking an interest. Agree it’s not fair to push interests on them, but equally good to encourage them to do stuff that will benefit them. I think at least one sport is important, personally.

I am not bothered about football myself but I did want to encourage some interest in it with my son because it seems to be a universal bonding thing with boys. For instance, one of the mums at a friends wedding took some of the boys to the park to blow off steam with a kick around, and his beavers often has a little game of football going on as the kids are turning up. I think my son appreciated having some football classes beforehand so he can understand and do the basics. It's a good way to make friends. He did football classes at school and seemed to enjoy them for two years then decided he didn't want to anymore and that was fine. But he is interested in watching England play and talking about it with others at school. I don't think there is the prevalence of other sports in boys lives - it's not often he is able to bond with others over his tennis or kickboxing- silly as it is.

You are missing nothing, my ds tried football, hated probably as much as I hated standing in the middle of a drizzly field watch him. He packed it in and took up swimming.

He's fitter than most of his peers, made plenty of swimming friends, good at his sport and I get to sip coffee in the warm and civilised cafe at the pool

He'll kick a ball about with his friends after school and watch the match with his dad sometimes, but football is certainly not the be all and end all