If your child did football every week for years, are you glad they did

[Pringlepopping]

Or do you regret the amount of time you spent on it

Not for a moment and one bit of advice I would give my two as they are now late teens is keep playing team sports or belonging to other clubs, it gives you so much more than just the activity itself, you travel, make friends away from school and work, feel part of a community. Even more important now as many will be working remotely from home in adulthood.

Hubs in his 50s still plays cricket, tennis and golf steadily.

Starting young helps build good habits for physical and mental well being.

Anything like football/sport is a brilliant way for dc to make a different group of friends away from school friends etc. It teaches discipline & respect & it's so good for teens especially to have a sport as an outlet. Yes there's cost, effort & turning out early at the weekend but it's all worth it.

My DS has played for years, decent level, training 3-4 times a week plus matches, tournaments etc including abroad. We were not a football family but it’s his absolute passion and it is incredible to see all the hard and soft skills he gains from it.

As PP have said obviously fitness, with the physical/mental benefits, also commitment, discipline, work ethic, confidence, communication, friendships, camaraderie and fun! I am delighted that he has this is his life and think it’s a great way to spend my time and money. Have also made some good friends on the sidelines.

What do you think you might regret OP?

Yes absolutely glad, I miss everything about it now they have stopped.

I don’t understand how children playing football would make a parent regret it? How does this impact your time (or theirs) negatively?
Genuine question here..

I think at some point often a decision has to be made whether to fully commit if the child is invited to play at a certain level- training several times a week, matches most weekends.

it can be very intrusive on family life, and cost a lot in time or money.

so if your child is never going to play professionally, do you decide to hold them back at a “fun” level where you aren’t all in, or let them play to their potential to the detriment of family life.

i can see some people regretting building their entire lives around a sport or hobby if they weren’t aware of how it would grow to be such a commitment.

Ds is 22 this year and still plays football every week

He had some awful times at school with bullying and some stressful times at work/university but come what may, he puts his boots on on a Monday and goes out to play as he doesn't want to let his team mates down.

I couldn't be happier that all those times in the freezing cold and pissing rain has led to him having such a great love of it. I'm not sure dd would agree :) (I was a single parent so she had to come along!)

My son stopped playing when he reached U18s but he'd trained to be a referee by then and carried on with that. I think he got a lot out of playing footy and I'm sad he's stopped but he still has a kick around with his mates at uni and is thinking of joining their least competitive team just for the exercise.

My daughter's captain of our local ladies U18s. She has got so much out of it: fitness, friendships, an ability to motivate people. She also trained to be a ref but hated doing it.

I actually have zero interest in football and I hated chatting to other parents at the side of the pitch (still do) but it was/is good for the kids.

Slightly different point of view - my brother rather than my child.
brither played from about age 4 up to 16, parents were quite involved. He is early 40s now & is still friends with quite a lot of the boys he met playing football. My parents are still good friends with a lot of the parents they met through the football.
I would say none of them regret it & look back fondly.

DS1 played in the same team with the same manager from 5-18.
DS2 started at around the same age, is now coming up 18 and in his last season with the same club.
We have the best best memories. Such laughs and friendships on the sidelines over the years. They've loved it and it's taught them so much. Teamwork, failure, resilience, commitment etc. No regrets at all.

Yes, still glad. Ds1 played, then ds2, who still does. Has made them very happy, fit.