Synchronised Swimming

[Louboo2245]

My DS is working towards his level 7 swim badge and when he gets there he gets to choose which path he would like to continue with or if he wants to stop.

Now a bit of a back story, we are a fat family, DS is just on the cusp of overweight and we are managing it as a family to make sure we are healthy together. Ds is also quite camp, in his mannerisms and his interests.

We have been discussing what he wants to do when he reaches level 7. I've said to him that I want him to carry on as it's good exercise for him and he enjoys it, so we looked at the options which are:
*Water Polo
*Synchronised Swimming
*Competitive swimming (both long distance and races) and
*Diving.

DS being DS has said (repeatedly over a 3 month period) he wants to do synchronised swimming.

Now I have no problem with him trying it to see how it fits as we can always change but my Dsister has said I should stop him from doing it as he will be bullied (he already has problems with his social skills). So my question is what would you do? Let him try or make him do something else?

I know nothing about ss, but for regular sports they really need to enjoy it so I would let him try it. Also he might get on better if his body is underwater swim. Diving, competitive swimming might be too much exposure particularly if he is middling in his skills.

Not *swim but iyswim

I would let him try.
But why does he have to choose, could he do more than one? Would be optimal if he could do some taster sessions of each before deciding.
DD has done some synchro & loved it.

It's time and money that prevents us letting him try more than one at once. He is adamant that he wants to do ss

Can't he do taster sessions at all?
I don't think Synchro will inspire bullying (speaking as someone who was bullied badly myself and am oversensitive to it). Most kids will not even slightly understand what SyncroSwim even is, and it's 4 years until next Olympics when it might be on telly again.

How old will he be, by then? Will he be old enough to enjoy being surrounded by pretty girls in skimpy costumes? And savvy enough to brag about it?

Heterosexual boys who get into dance have a fantastic time in their teen years. And there's a tremendous tolerance of camp behaviour in most performance groups. Looks like lots of win-wins to me.

Actually, 3.5 years to next Olympics, but still, years anyway!

I think I'm going to let him try, if he wants to. I do worry about him, but can't always wrap him up.