My eldest is 7. He has many many talents but he’s not naturally sporty. He does however enjoy a variety of sports.
He currently does football and judo after school clubs, swimming, and tennis and gymnastics at the weekend. He is RUBBISH at football. I mean really bad. He just kicks the ball randomly, can’t tackle, mainly hovers around the edges. He’s going in to year 3 next year So the club will be yr3 and 4 instead of 1 and 2. The difference between him and the boys who have a bit of talent at football is quite noticeable and as he moves on to playing with older children I think it will become more noticeable still. Don’t get me wrong he’s not the only one who’s not great, but he’s certainly one of the worst! However, he does enjoy it!! And normally I’m all for letting them crack on but I think at 8/9 they’ll be getting to the age where the other boys get annoyed at the weaker players and he will start to become more self conscious about his playing.
He is actually half decent at tennis, but he doesn’t have proper lessons, the session he goes to is just a cheap one in our local park. A space has come up in the tennis after school club for which he was on the waiting list. I’ve said he can choose between that and carrying on with football and after a lot of deliberation he’s said tennis. I’m happy about this but am feeling guilty that I’m pushing him away from football when he himself is quite happy playing.
If he does both clubs that would be 4 afternoons a week after school taken up with activities which seems a lot, especially as my youngest starts reception in sept and I’ll have to get him and then be waiting for ds1 to finish an hour later. But he COULD do both if he wanted......
Sorry that was so long winded but essentially am I wrong at this age to guide him towards something he’s good at (and does enjoy) and away from something he’s not good at but also enjoys?!