Football dilemma

[Upnorthnow]

DS2 loves sport and pestered me to allow him to join a local football team that all his friends play for - however, just before the season started the majority of his school friends upped sticks to play for a new team started by one of the dads. By the time we found out (new to the area and out of the gossip loop) the other team was full so ds2 was stuck in the other club with boys from other schools. He was upset at the time but persevered even though i can see he finds it difficult as hendoesn't have a bond with any of these other boys. I told him to stick it out for the year and maybe he could join the other club next year. Anyway, just recentlynthenother club has decided to start a second team and DS2 has been asked to join ....he is beside himself with excitement and I know some of the other parents at school feel bad that he was overlooked last time so they are really encouraging us to jump ship.....HOwever, I have a real moral dilemna and would feel bad to leave the club mid season....dh says I am being silly as ds2 is only 7 years old so it's not like the matches or the league is very serious - he thinks it's all about ds2' enjoyment and that being with his friends is a huge part of it. It would also make our lives easier if he went to a club his school friends were at in terms of car pools ( I have 4 children so logistics are always a nightmare). If we don't join now, the spaces will be filled by other children and who knows when a place will come up again? What would other mnetters do?

Let him join the new team with his friends. As your DH says it's all about enjoyment especially at that age :)

I assume his current team will still have enough players left.

I would feel guilty about deserting the current club but would do so. Being in a football team with his friends has given so much to ds, I would sacrifice many of my principles for that.

Move teams and part on good terms. They shift around lots at that age.

Do it. Make your excuses to the old club (dress it up if you must - training clashes with another activity for example). He will get much more out of it with his friends.

Move teams, your ds is exited to asked, the other team really wants him, that will be great for his self esteem. He is 7 years old and it is supposed to be fun, sticking it out for a year and then maybe not being able to get a place with his friends team after that doesn't sound like much fun.
I get why you don't want to jump ship, you also want to teach your son about responsibility and that being part of a team can bring it's own sacrifices but at 7 years old he still has plenty of time to learn those lessons at an age he will be able to appreciate them more.

If he is desperate to move, do it. The team he is leaving will be fine - kids come and go all the time. However, check how the teams/training works - is the second team a B team? DO they train together? It might be that he doesn't get to play matches with his friends anyway.

DS joined a team when he was about 7 and didn't know anyone. He is still in the team. He has met lots of new boys this way and quite a few of them will be going to secondary school with him in September. So it's not all bad!

I guess it depends on how many players are at his current team and if he would leave them short. There are only 6 or 7 league games left this season so could he not do both and then finish with his current team.
DS has had 2 players leave his team in the last couple of weeks , this weekend when one of the players got sick and one was on holiday they had to play with only 6 men. For this reason i would stick it out to the end of the season tbh

The club he is leaving is large and has four teams so him leaving won't leave them short (as they are all allowed to play "up")....and the one he would be joining has just an "a" and a "b" team so they all get to play matches every week......the set up is essentially the same - just the people are different... Thanks for all the input - in my heart I want to let him go to the new team as it will make him happy....I just didn't want to be setting a bad example! ( and I must admit that it will be nice to have some friendly faces to chat to on those cold Saturday mornings!!!)