How do you manage PE lessons with an unsporty child?

[zigaziga]

When I was at school I saw PE as ritual humiliation and the whole thing put me off any exercise or sport for a long time.

The whole thing made me so angry - the “cool” kids were those who were good at sports etc etc.

Anyway, my first DC has started PE at primary school and is already very aware thanks to the other children that he is slower than everyone else and that he can’t catch or throw..

As the parent now, how do I deal with this? What am I supposed to say ahead of sports days and things? All I know is that my own parents were very party line about everything and would have just said it’s taking part that counts and of course that doesn’t help at all.

I’d like to be able to share with my child my own biased views that unless you’re the 0.01% who can make money from being athletic, it’s far better to be good at English and Maths and languages but I don’t know if sharing my own prejudices at such a young age is at all appropriate and of course it could make things worse - it would be best if he does actually try and maybe eventually find a sport he is semi decent at. Plus, I know how I’d feel about a parent sharing with their child that they think maths is pointless..!

So how do you handle it? The idea of him struggling at PE and feeling embarrassed day after day throughout school is heartbreaking.

Practice

We had Phone call today from school about DS shouting and swearing at classmates. They teased him because he puts his hand up & answers too many questions. Another joy of mixed ability classes due to infection control measures.

Does being teased count as 'humiliation'?
We all have our challenges in teaching kids what to be resilient about.

Gosh I have so many thoughts about this.

I had the same experience as you op in childhood. Fortunately my ex H is sporty (like yours) and natural instinct had him out playing ball games with all our kids as soon as possible.

I was a tiger mum in relation to riding bikes, learning to swim, roller blading etc. I hadn't been encouraged to do it as a kid and I wanted the opposite for mine !! I remember my mum guiltily asking me if I minded I couldn't swim when she overheard me telling ds he would benefit from going to the swimming lesson he wasn't keen on because otherwise he would end up like me 😂

My kids are all extremely academic also (like me) and started off in a school where academics was more valued but we then moved to a different area where sport was the pinnacle.

And do you know what? It did them good. They had to try hard and wanted to fit in and they could do the academics anyway (dd1 got an academic scholarship to a v academic secondary school with little input). But she also ended up competing in a niche sport at a national level and can now, at 16, enjoy being pretty damn good at netball and swimming which will give her long term fitness opportunities. She also never has to worry about being safe on a beach or going out to do something active like a long bike ride. Similar but not yet adult stage with my younger kids.

Please encourage your child and don't see it as an either or. He must find some sport to love for self esteem, fitness and health. Team sports are particularly great and just a bit of practice catching a ball every day will pay dividends, he doesn't need to be taught by an expert, you will also improve your own skills. Get a basketball hoop, every time you walk somewhere take the scooter and soon he will prefer it to walking, crack on with the swimming lessons and just treat it as being equally important to learning to read or times tables. Mine haven't been given an option and I'm so proud to watch my daughter speed up and down a pool or my son dash off out on his bike for half a day etc.

Ps my kids have never done traditionally well in sports day but dd1 won the sprint in b division one year due to super high fitness and ds often does really well in the ball relays due to great throwing and catching skills and I always encourage them to take part and enjoy even though running is not their thing.

why wouldn't you encourage your child to give it a go?

Yes by all means encourage it. But you also need a few other ideas up your sleeve in case your child doesn't progress or hates it. There are so many other things to develop co-ordination, stamina and strength. Schools should also be more creative in their approach as not all children enjoy ball sports.

Schools are actually really creative with not much budget!

@bendmeoverbackwards

why wouldn't you encourage your child to give it a go?

Yes by all means encourage it. But you also need a few other ideas up your sleeve in case your child doesn't progress or hates it. There are so many other things to develop co-ordination, stamina and strength. Schools should also be more creative in their approach as not all children enjoy ball sports.

Funnily enough,in primary at least there are not just ball/team sports.

There is dancing,gymnastics,swimming, table tennis, normal tennis, fitness,running,balance etc.

There's is normally one term of a ball sport and they change every year ,with different skills involved.

@pinkbalconyrailing, sorry I was reflecting on my own experiences. I am sure I was dyspraxic and we moved around a lot, so I was an easy target. This is all many years ago.
One thing I think does hold true is nothing breeds success like success. Its so easy to use sport or physical activities to put kids down. Witness the angst round a Primary football team.
Thankfully, we live in more enlightened times, I hope.

Another joy of mixed ability classes due to infection control measures
I don't think this has anything to do with mixed ability and a lot to do with poor management by burnt out, exhausted staff. Poor kid, all keen and bright putting his hand up. That doesn't mean the others should be pitted against each other.

His normal teacher is not present in PE lessons as far as I know but will discuss it again with them at parents evening.

Please don't wait until parents evening - he's only little. If he were in my class, I'd want to know so I could deal with it.