to think ds1 (5 tomorrow) is too young to be left at football school for 5hrs for 3 days

[smoggie]

There's a local football school that is run over 3 days for 5-14yr olds (there are some for 5-7yrs too). It starts at 10 am and finishes 3pm. I mentioned to my sister that I'd like him to go but it would mean 3 days of dh (who is off that week) or I spending 5 hours watching.
She said that its common practice where she lives (and she did it too) to leave them by themselves at 5yo in these clubs.
I just feel that ds doesn't know a) the place where it is or b) the people running it (although they're all FA trained and approved by the local premiership football club) and I would feel uneasy about leaving him there by himself. Also you just don't know who else might be there watching iykwim.
I was just wondering are we being over protective?

they get left in these sorts of clubs from the age of two and a half in Belgium where I live.

5 seems very young
can't you go kick a ball aroudn thepark for an hour and do it next year?

You are being overprotective.

Why don't you book him in for one day, with the club and ask them if you can add more if it works out.

They love it, it is a huge adventure.

My DS rising 7 is doing a outward bound type course every day for a week in the April holidays. He can't wait, I am quietly uneasy but you have to let your children go by degrees.

DD just turned 5, and I would happily leave her for 5 hours (if that is what other parents are doing).

Doesn't he go to school for at least this long? Will he have friends from school at the football school for a bit of a familiar comfort zone?

I'm assuming he goes to school? And that you leave him there for 6 hours a day? If so, he'll be fine.

My DS has done these football clubs too, the first time I stayed around for about an hour and then told him I was going as I felt happy that he'd be fine.

How about if you tay with him at first to settle him in, maybe even stay for the first hour every day, and make sure you are there at least 20 minutes before it finishes. That way you get to see what's going on and he gets to settle in.

Does he want to go?

They are at school for that length of time. As long as they are keen on football, it should hold their interest.

cghanging my mind here was thinking he waqs not yet at school

DS has gone to these soccer schools in the past and is at one yesterday and today. My main issue is that it costs £20 on top of what I have already paid his CM for those hours.

Crikey, I've been leaving mince since they were just turned 4 and still at pre-school! Why not stay and watch for the first morning to see how well it's run and if you're happy go home after that?

OK so concensus is IABU, I know he's at school for longer, but I jsut thought school is fmiliar, with people I know/trust etc.
Probably there is a middle ground of staying for a while then leaving. I had thought about seeing if some of his school friends wanted to go along too to make it easier (for me really - to know there's someone familiar there).

OMDB - yes he would LOVE to go, he's football crazy at the moment so it would def. hold his interest. PFB I guess... I wonder if I'll be as reticent with ds2????

If he's football crazy and would love to go then he probably wouldn't even notice if you where ther or not! I know DS doesn't look back once he's in!

My little boy goes on his own at 5 and loves it :-)

YABU

Daisy