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My son is 11 and we recently moved to a new town over the summer. He transitioned well and is in a youth group at church and scouts. I recently signed him up for basketball at church. He agreed to go for evaluations but doesn't really seem all that interested. He has never really been interested in sports. How can I get him more interested?
If he's not interested, he's not interested. Kids team sports is messed up nowadays..... trust me, my kid is 9 and I'm all up in it. Way too serious, way too clique. If you come in late, you are left behind.
Find something he likes, and go from there. Be it a club or some other sport where you can come in late, like lacrosse, par-cor (sp), track, etc.
You need to find the sport he is interested in. As a kid I was "pushed" into a bunch of sports I didn't want to play and it caused all kinds of anxiety and stress. I was ok at them, even good, but I didn't like those sports and it started to cause resentment.
Introduce your son to whatever sport (or any other activity) he might be interested in. He is more likely to makes friends that way, too. I never bonded with the kids on the teams of sports I didn't want to play.
It's too bad kids don't just go out and play on their own anymore. It sure was easier on the parents, and kids made up their own games. There were still organized sports, but a lot less pressure.
Why does he need to be interested in sports? If you're looking for an activity for him to do, there should be a lot of opportunities in your community -- cooking, drama, computer coding, chess, painting, glass blowing, ceramics, minecraft, robotics, physics, rock climbing -- there are a million things other than sports. If he doesn't like it, he doesn't like it.
I haven’t read all the posts, so sorry if I’m repeating, but the time to get your kids in sports is at 6, not 11. Your son may, or may not be one who likes sports, but at 11, the other kids already know the basics and the rules and if he doesn’t then I don’t blame him for not wanting to start now.
My boys played sports because they were exposed early. My daughter was not at all interested and we respected that.
one of the promises I made to my son early on is id never be a dad to scream at him at the sidelines.....and always support him...
the only thing I asked/expected was if he signed up for a sport is to see it through .
my son was always on the small side in his grade...tough for a boy...especially if he liked basketball.... but he played and he worked on areas he could be very good like a good outside shot /etc. and he played other sports too...…
in high school.... I introduced him to golf...which he was awkward at like any kid …….didnt push him...but he took to it and started liking it... we got him lessons and he excelled by the time he was a senior he was one of the best on his schools golf team......and in college led his college team to first ever state championship.....and its something we still enjoy playing today....
I played football when I was in school..loved it......but never pushed it on him..
I have peers that are coaches of sports in schools and they say half the kids dont want to make commitments because of the electronics of today ……
im mixed on this while I know if you push kids they may rebel if they dont have their heart into it …..then why do it?? but I also wouldn't tolerate if it was laziness and he just would rather play video games...
id give him choices.....and let him make the decision of what he wants to do....but also let him know if he doesn't play basketball now it will be 10x tougher to play later.....because all the kids have the skills and you wont.
I did well not pushing my son and giving him choices......rarely did we have a conflict - and he's a DR. today …..
sports does build confidence and discipline.... a balance most kids need but you cant push them towards it...if you do they do it for the wrong reasons.... give choices...let him decide
Why push him in directions he doesn't want to go? As long as he's not doing anything nefarious, let him be! I have never like organized sports and would have hated being pushed into them. I preferred drawing, hot wheels, legos and building model kits...and playing with my green plastic Marines!
Hi Our sons are 13, 9, 9 and are heavy into sports. But we know kids that age that are not....they have tried it but just not that enthused. At 11, he is old enough to to know at this point if he likes to participate in sports or not. I know may kids at middle school level who are not into sports a lot do like robotics and they do very well.
In my area youth hockey is very big and pretty much if your kid isnt in hockey by age 8 or 9 then its too late to catch up. But youth sports are a big time committment for sure. My 9 yr old twins are in basketball in the winter, baseball spring/summer and football fall....
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