Bonding with my Soccer obsessed DS

[mollyfolk]

My 8 year old DS is soccer obsessed and after years of being stuck to me, only wants his Daddy. Any ideas about how I can bond with him again? Preferably not by playing soccer with him. What special time do you spend with your sons?

Go watch him, help run the team

My nephew's were a bit older at 11. But we had a family fantasy football league. It's a free game online where you just pick a line up of players from the premier league and the game calculated your score based on how those players played that week. It's really easy and only takes a few minutes each week. I had loads more to talk to my nephew's about. (Also my husband and father in law.) Might be one to think about for next August.

Completely agree with the pp who suggested helping to run his team- I was like you, 2 boys really keen on football and no clue how to support or be a part of it. I volunteered to do the admin for their teams, got to know the other parents, and found real enjoyment in watching them every week- much to my surprise!

I brought a board game (what I enjoy) about football called Wembley as a middle ground between our interests for my DNephew

Why not play soccer? I took up women's football in my 50s - its great!

Ds and I have season tickets for our local team. That time together watching matches is really special (helps that our team are doing well this season!). You’ve got to meet your children where they are. I’m not a football fan. But I am a fan of my dc!

My DS has recently discovered football and is obsessed. I find it charming (so far).

He has football cards he collects in a binder and spends his pocket money on, they have loads of stats which he loves telling me. He has a few books about footballers and we like chatting about them too. Sometimes I'll help him look on YouTube for old matches or compilation videos for various older players. He also plays FC24 on his switch and although I don't play with him I like him telling me all about it.

Watch utube clips of great goals, collect the football cards and talk about the players. There is a series on Netflix about the best footballers you could watch together.
Set a goal up in the garden and you be in goal.
I know you asked for things not football related but I think it's easier to build a bond when you get involved with his passion.

I have a cricket obsessed son. I drive him to training 3 X a week. I drive him to matches. I stay and score for his team. I get brownie points by taking him into Wetherspoons for cooked breakfast before the matches. I watch the IPL with him. I've bought a season ticket to go to some Warwickshire matches with him.