Football in the garden....

[OhDearWhyAmIFatterly]

Hello
I have a quick question....
My son is 14, he is football mad. He is CONSTANTLY playing with a ball, even in the house, a soft one but still. It is driving me mad!!!!
We have recently had our garden redone, new lawn, planters and patio etc.
He wants a goal for his birthday next month.
I know I sound really mean but he kicks the ball so hard now he is older I really don't want another goal in the garden!!!
It was different when he was younger but now the kicking has caused lots of broken plants and we are so pleased to finally have a lively garden to enjoy!!
We have a hot tub, badminton sets, ping pong, cricket sets you name it so he is not without other things to do but he thinks I am the worst mother for saying we don't want a new gila to be part of the garden....
Can I get your take on this please!

I can't be the only one....

The garden is for everyone, not just him. If an activity that he wants to do will spoil things for others, then tough, he will have to make do with all those other activities you’ve mentioned.

We do have goals, but only in one part of the garden where footballs won’t cause any damage. If the balls are brought into my ornamental garden, they are in big trouble.

We are lucky to have a large enough garden to enable this - if we didn’t, there would be no goals.

I think you redid the garden a few years too early!
I've got a 10 year old and am resigned to the fact that it's going to be at least another 7 or 8 years before I can have flowers with petals on and a bannister that doesn't double as a climbing frame.
Is there anywhere else he can play football?

Thanks so much for that
I was feeling really mean!!
He says the garden is for playing in and he can't play, which I get but I just think he is too big for football now! The garden is not very big, otherwise I would definitely have a goal area!

We have bought some of the Barrier type mesh and we put it up when my son is out there with the goal. He usually does 9 hours of football training a week so needs somewhere to do some practice but I don’t want my new rose bed or plants destroyed either.

I would usually say that if he is 14 he can go to the park to play. But right now I think you have to suck it up.

Hi Baroness
We have 2 huge parks, one with a football cage at the end of the road!
Obviously he can't go there at the moment because of lock down but that won't be forever....
It's not massively flowers etc but it's amazing how much damage a football blasted can do!
I have 2 younger children, who are jot into football and they are quite happy playing with all the other bits....

Be glad he is wanting to do exercise out in the garden - encourage physical activity much better then being stuck inside on a computer.

Angel what is the barrier stuff you have?...
I'm letting him play with footballs at the min but I don't want the new goal....

It is hard though ... especially when you work hard to make your home / garden nice. It's not for ever though :)

That is true cats,
He is good about screen time and wants to be outside. I feel for the neighbours as well, as the constant banging of the ball on the planter or fence is very annoying!!!

We have a smallish garden, and 2 boys, similar age to your DS. I haven't let them play football in the garden for a couple of years - instead I get them to go to the local park where there is a purpose built basketball/football court/pitch. Once they stop being little children, and have stronger kicks, I feared for the windows, and the fences - which they did knock bits off....

Obviously the current situation is a bit weird as he can't go to the park - but once he can go there, make him go there!

Yes, Brakebackcyclebot exactly! They don't realise how strong they kick the ball!!

I’ve also banned football in my garden for my two pre-teen/early teens. I feel a bit guilty but it was stressing me out having things broken and damaged all the time, they’re too strong. They now play on a nearby field (not during lockdown) or on the front drive.

I'm feeling much better now!!
Thanks everyone!

We got this:

www.prodirectsoccer.com/p/football-flick-urban-return-ball-coaching-aids-drill-sets-194259/

Our main stress was that balls were going over the back fence and damaging the neighbours pots etc. We also put up a high net but they were still kicking them over!

Oh that looks great Ikeatears!
How does it attach to the ball?
I got him a harness thing that goes over a football but the ball pops out!!

He is in the midst of a huge meltdown because no one will play with him, and he wants or play football, I won't let him have a goal, he's going to sell all his footballs, there's no point, it's not fair....... Arghhhhhhhh

oh, my sympathies, sounds like something my son would do.

Without wanting to let him "win", is there a way he can play with a small soft ball and a small (ish) goal in the street or front drive?

That's been our compromise...

Hi @MNnicknameforCVthreads
We can't really do the front of the house as it's a road, could possible do the drive.... Its quite narrow though. Ive bought him those floater footballs but they are no good apparently!
I ending up getting cross and telling him he sounded like a spoilt brat, which is mean, but also true