Am I being a mug here?

[Footballmumnot]

Every day after school ds plays football in the back garden, for hours, he only comes inside to eat and sleep.

At weekends he plays as much as he can, either outside, at the park, wherever he can. I take him to a footie club every week and most school holidays.

Great right? He's outdoors keeping fit, surely better than being inside being a couch potato.

Only he's trashed the garden, he's smashed 3 fence panels which we've had to replace, there's no grass left, he keeps bringing my washing inside because it's in his way and I'm sitting in fear of the window coming through.

What do I do? He's too young and the area is too bad for him to venture to the park alone.

How old is he? Get him one of those goals with the targets

AstroTurf! You are exactly the family who should have it.

YABU. Surely it's his garden too? The time for plants is later. At least he is bringing the washing in!
Perhaps point out the cost of fence panels though and that he needs to be careful.
Is there a local youth football club he could join or train with?

Tether ball thingy?

Can't you put up some netting that protects fences and make him play away from the house? The grass may grow back eventually.

Take him to the park.

Oh it's definitely his garden I'm not into fancy plants but a bit of grass leftover would be nice.

He's 9, he plays with a club already but he's wants to play every night.

Should I just suck it up and be glad he's out playing?

Saucyjack we do go to the park a fair bit but I do not have the time to take him all evening every evening. He's out from 3.30 after school, comes in at 6 for tea, then back out until bedtime.

He comes back from football training and is straight back out there!

Can he go out the front?

I think it's good he's getting fresh air and exercise. It won't be for ever you will get your garden back eventually. Much better than being cooped up on an x box
I had 4 brothers my parents ended up putting paving in the back as the grass was gone.

Yes you should definitely suck it up and be glad he is out playing.

When he's pulling in a hundred grand a week he can buy you your own garden!

Or his own

Can't really play out front because of the neighbours cars and main road.

Our back garden isn't that big but I might get him a goal at the weekend. Only haven't yet because the double swing is there and will need taking down.

I'll just have to live with it then my heart does sink a bit every time I look at what was once grass

Imagine the neighbours ! Thud thud thud thud thud CRASH thud thud thud thud thud SMASH thud thud thud thud... Several hours a day!

Why can't he go down to the park after school??

I just gave up with the garden when our DDs were little....it looked awful, and both DH and I just let them play. Now they're older teenagers we've reclaimed it and the little buggers are now hogging the patio set in the evening with friends and boyfriends. Can't win!!

He can't go to the park alone because we live too far away and across main roads with no crossing facilities.

Our nearest park is usually full of older kids drinking and smoking, people dealing drugs, it's just a bit grim round here, and even if I were to take him for an hour each evening, he's still be in the garden the rest of the time.

Can't you get him one of those soft balls so it can do as much damage?

Also could you not just get a net to put on the swing set which you can take down when you want to use it as a swing.

I can't help with the washing sorry.

Just accept that the garden is a working garden until he's old enough to play else where. Then it can become a garden for pleasure

Tell him to go easy on the fence.

Buy him a goal post.

Suck it up, it's good that he's outside!

He's got a soft ball but apparently it's no good and keeps 'blowing' over the fence.

Been there, I know exactly what you mean. However, my son is now 12. We have a lovely lawn again and no broken fence panels- but a boy who's hardly outside! It is only temporary- it's so much better than him being indoors all the time!

Let him have his fun, better than being cooped up inside.
He'll grow up soon enough, then you can have your garden back.😄

My sister had no garden for years...they grow out of it. I'd leave him be.