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My recently turned 7 son last night announced he now likes football more than his bike 🙁 Now he wants to practice football every night .
I have bullied (slightly) and pushed him a bit since about 3 and have videos of him on flying around the Swinley green route on his balance bike, was riding his Cnoc before he was 4, FOD uplift a few times (only DH on the blue).
He loved being on the bike and I have hardly ridden my bike properly for the last few years as we used to always go together. We have blinged up his Hotrock 20 with various upgrades from my expensive spares box, TLD Full Face and TLD pads. It didn't feel right buying cheap stuff when I didn't buy cheap stuff and as he was so keen I never cared.
He has started at two clubs, one after school and another on Sunday mornings. Every night for over a week we have been at the park until it has been dark with his ball. When I said last night the clocks go back next so we can start back on the bikes after work he didn't reply.
Took him to his first football match a few weeks ago, held back as I wanted to take him to decent game in case it put him off for ever. But as Reading (local team and stadium are really close to house) dropping lower and lower we went before they were in league 1.
As my wife mentioned it was his first game when booking the tickets they sent a couple of pretty girls on match day to give him a bag of RFC merchandise and take a photo of him in the stand.
Reading 3 - 3 Derby.Derby red card and the final 10 minutes a lot of action by the Derby goal we were next to. He loved it.
Is he gone forever to the other side and will be return to the MTB?
End of the day, Alex, football is better than cycling. This is known. He can come back to cycling in his 20s like the rest of us, once the footie injuries get too much.
I love football and MTB! I know!
My lad expressed an interest in Ipswich Town, which I'm unfortunate enough to have followed since I was his age (though they were bloody good then!). So I took him to see them, and now he supports Chelsea. I also manage the U12 team he plays in which is endlessly fascinating - there's a big difference between the kids that do it because they enjoy it, and those that do it because their parents are pushing them into it. Encourage the former, don't be the latter.
I only cycle as my busted knee won't let me play 5aside anymore.
I had the same - brought my boy up on bikes - he's had a road bike and an mtb since he was pretty small, but have lost him to football. And worse than that, I am a Liverpool supporter, and I lost him to Chelsea!!! At 10 he succumbed to peer pressure and told me he wanted to transfer his allegiance. But I am a good dad and have taken him to Stamford bridge a few times, despite feeling like a traitor
Although to be fair the banter is good between us as rivals (he is 12 now) especially at the moment!
I hope one day he will ride again - he still has bikes, although they are somewhat neglected.
My kids enthusiasm for cycling comes and goes, there is always a drop in winter and I don't mind/push it because it is bad enough washing me and my bike after a ride, throwing another 2 bikes and sets of muddy kit into the mix loses it appeal pretty quickly.
In my experience too, forcing them out in the cold and wet has the opposite effect and will put them off even more.
End of the day, Alex, football is better than cycling. This is known. He can come back to cycling in his 20s like the rest of us, once the footie injuries get too much.
true
I think football might have already been more than 1-0 up before this.
My 9 year old son loves pretty much every sport going and is in the school rugby, football and cross country teams, and he still wants to come out riding with me mtb or road, and also loves just knocking about on his BMX.
He was born in Leeds but supports Leicester Tigers, even though he plays rugby league at school, and Leicester city.
Yours smug dad of Leicester, but lived in Leeds for 18 years. 🙂
P.s. he knows and accepts that its very unlikely he'll ever get taken to a football match by me as I don;t like football, but i will take him to the rugby.
My lad has just started hinting that he may want to stop footy and come back to cycling club.....for now. 🙂
Make him watch Sunderland.
Or Reading. But we might start to improve now Cr#p Stan has gone.
There was MTB -
there was karate
there was football
there was rugby
And now..
Phases... 😀
Football is a team game and will teach him all about being a team player. It's also the best game in the world...certainly at amateur level. He'll also have lots of mates he'll look forward to seeing every week.
No contest!
Staring out the window at the Madejski right now.. would rather be on my bike .. phaswes is right, middle one was rugby last year, cyclocross this year - I'm holding out on buying the 26" cross bike in case he flips again to darts or something.
My son loves football (plays for local team with all his mates). I can't even get him near a bike. I'm hoping its a phase he'll grow out of...
Truthfully I'm just chuffed to bits he's found a sport he loves playing! It helps that I like the other parents and they are all into running and riding bikes so we've got something to talk about while we watch the team get beat again... 🙂
The more variety of sports he takes part in the better. It's great to have a variety of sports you can dip in and out of as you want.
I always thought mountain bikers were the kids that were crap at football at school anyway, so there is time for stuff to pan out.
All 3 of my girls are fair weather bimbling cyclists, and enjoy it for what it is. All three also come to the football. There is room in life to like lots of stuff.