Sunday, January 31, 2010

Change of {heart} about futbol

B recently had a change of heart about all things sporty and decided that she wanted to join her big sis play soccer. I figured that since she already has all the necessary gears she might as well give the sport another try.

Prior to this, I have enrolled her in two or three modules with Futbol Fanatics. She has always shown more aggression on the field than J; going in and attacking the ball even if at that time, due to her young age, it was not clear to her where the goal actually was. I truly thought then that she would be the one who would stay on longer with the sport. So it came as a shock that she lost interest in next to no time.

In spite of this, her soccer cleats would make an occasional jamboree with mud and dust since I made sure to sign up all three of them with our church-sponsored soccer clinic during the summer breaks.

Inserting a photo of the 2009 soccer clinic, with B bringing home a trophy for MVP.

I try to encourage active participation in every endeavor they undertake, and I do expose them to as many sports activities as our schedule permits. But I draw the line at intimidation and coercion. I am not one to force them to pursue an activity if their heart is not into it. I do not believe in wasting time and money just to watch them give half-hearted effort; to catch sight of a lackluster and uninspired undertaking is enough to wind me up to the highest degree of infuriation.

And this is what I mean when I say uninspired....


Just kidding, R! :) But he did have a fascination going on that time with mud, worms and collecting pebbles. Anyhow, other than the minor distractions, R played well most of the time - that is, if he can keep his mind off mud, worms and pebbles. :)

Here he is in a deep and serious huddle with his coach.

All business during scrimmage!

So if the interest is not there, I let it go and we move on to the next activity. But, I make sure to let them try it again at a later time, say one year after, just to see if maybe they changed their minds about it.

True enough, after a hiatus from football for about a year, I asked B earlier this year if she wanted to join her sister play football and she immediately replied in the positive. What she did not mention (but I later found out) was that it did not hurt that a cute li’l boy named Monty from the church-organized soccer event also trains in the same football club.

2 comments :

  1. That's a wonderful parenting philosophy - not coercing the kids into doing something. It's great to expose them and encourage their interests and talents, but we shouldn't force them or intimidate them into participating if they don't want to. I also agree that it is wise to revisit the issue after a hiatus and offer them the opportunity down the road. Sometimes, kids change their minds, but sometimes not. In any case, as parents, we need to let them know that we're here to nurture and support their interests, wherever it lies.

    By the way, R is too cute!!

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  2. i sort of envy you for having sporty kids...but artsy-fartsy ones ain't too bad either :) i do agree to give them time to decide what they would really like to try and do, and now summer is coming so the pressure in on me to build on their interests! And i know that "cute boy" Monty, a very playful and active former classmate of JT in nursery! :D

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