Not liking soccer...

I know not all kids love soccer or other sports. I still take my 4 yr old DS to each practice/game on Sundays, but he just wants to sit on the side.
He's pretty passive and with some receptive delays I think all the yelling on the field doesn't help. He LOVES swim and took him to some karate classes that he loves. I think when it's more controlled and one on one he likes.
Not that I'm expecting an athlete, but was hoping he'd be into it. I don't want him to think just quitting is right too so, as I said, DH still takes him Sundays.
Anyone else have a LO like this? Not complaining there's a problem with him not liking it, but just not as much into those type of sports. DS can be a bit immature too. His friends who are also in his special ed preK classes are pretty good and talking about joining baseball now. I told them we are not. I think karate will be good one day, but very pricey now so going to wait. I know he loves swim so will stick with that.

Re: Not liking soccer...

My son hated soccer at ages 3-4 and now is on 3 soccer teams (incl 2 travel teams) at age 8.5! So you never know. For me, my son gave me trouble to go to it (major screaming and tantrums). I believe at that age they aren't old enough to decide for themselves and wanted him exposed to different things and want to teach him not to quit. He was the kid cleaning his soccer ball with his wristbands or picking grass or he use to run the opposite way of the ball pretending to play a flute - lol. We'd only play fall soccer and take him every week kept with it. Somehow magically at age 5.5 - he all of a sudden loved sports, became aggressive one the field and now all day long he wants sports. I think what was big for him as a family we'd still play at home. Dad or I would always take him to the park and play sports and that made him more interested and motivated and less intimidated.

I think it is up to you. I know with my son if I stopped and let him decide he wouldn't do anything (he hates everything until he really gets into it). I love now he has passion for something outside of his video games and toys. I love how it bonds him to his buddies. He isn't the best but he works hard and has lots of fun. I am glad I stuck it out.

Re: Not liking soccer...

Thank you! That's the plan to keep taking him. Sometimes he'll kick the ball around and the last time he didn't want to play.
DH and I do kick the ball around with him at home. He doesn't always want to play, but I want to introduce him to different activities and hopefully he will pick something he loves and becomes passionate about it. For now it's swim and I do love to see him getting excited for that.

Thanks again! That helps and we'll keep taking him.

Re: Not liking soccer...

I'm having the same experience with my DD (she will be 4 in a few weeks). I wasn't expecting her to be super into it and so far after 3 practices, she only participated for a few minutes at one of the practices. She is very shy and I do think all the kids and coaches are overwhelming to her but we'll keep taking her hoping she might warm up to it a little bit. We shall see. Now my 17 month old DS on the other hand...I can't keep him off the field

Good luck!

Re: Not liking soccer...

I think they all hate soccer at 4 really. They don't get into it. I would try again for fall when he is 5

Re: Not liking soccer...

Yup same here. I did not put my 4 yo in this season bc he didn't like it. He loves swimming and tae kwon do, of course they are the most $$$$ next year we will try a different sport for him

Not liking soccer...

Our town doesn't start until Kindergarten for this reason - so many kids aren't interested.

Re: Not liking soccer...

Ok. Thanks all. I feel better. I'll keep taking him.
My 2 yr old would love to run around with the kids and play though. LOL

Re: Not liking soccer...

Posted by MrsA714

I'm having the same experience with my DD (she will be 4 in a few weeks). I wasn't expecting her to be super into it and so far after 3 practices, she only participated for a few minutes at one of the practices. She is very shy and I do think all the kids and coaches are overwhelming to her but we'll keep taking her hoping she might warm up to it a little bit. We shall see. Now my 17 month old DS on the other hand...I can't keep him off the field

Good luck!

Re: Not liking soccer...

DS didn't enjoy soccer last yr at age 3. He seems not enjoy it much this yr either so we didn't sign him up again.

4yo DS does love playing tball and tennis.

Not liking soccer...

My friend had her son in gymnastics he is a touch over 2yrs. For the first 12 weeks he just wanted to watch. Finally within the last 4 week of class started participating...some kids need time to figure things out. I would more importantly teach him it's important to follow thru. He signed up, he has to finish. He may decide to do it one day

Re: Not liking soccer...

Re: Not liking soccer...

we did one season of soccer with DS1. I think he was 3 or 4. He didnt like it. Didnt hate it but just wasnt excited about it and when it came time to sign up again, he said no thanks.

We tried other things., he is now 5.5yo...tennis (loves) ice skating (loves - but we took a break bc of other activites) and dek hockey (loves)

I would make him finish the season but after that take a break maybe try something else. Why force a sport he isnt enjoying when there are other activities that he might better enjoy....

Re: Not liking soccer...

I signed up my son last year for soccer at 3.5 and he went once for 10 mins and walked off the field.

So, I signed him up again this fall at 4.5 and we tried again.. 10 mins on field and he walked off. Told me he liked to play but was afraid because there were SO many people around.

DH and I talked to him about it every day until the next Sunday.> We told him Sun am while putting on his uniform that if he felt like there were too many people to look up and he would see mommy and daddy looking at him with a thumbs up sign.

That did the trick because this past Sunday he was a different child, laughing, had a ball and scored 3 or 4 goals!!!!

Re: Not liking soccer...

If he is just passive about it I would keep going to practice and games. He may get more comfortable joining in over time. If you have tried for a few weeks and he hates and protest everything about it I would drop it. Why torture the kid and yourself. At 4 I don't think they understand the concept of quitting a long term commitment like soccer.

Not liking soccer...

I have the same issue with my DD. For her I think it's not being comfortable around new people. She's slowly warming up. She made a friend last week so I hoping maybe she will be more excited this week. She reacted the same way with Pre-K and warmed after a bit.

Re: Not liking soccer...

If he's realllllly not enjoying it I wouldn't force him to continue. I think you just tell him that it's great he tried something new out and it's OKAY if he doesn't love it. I wouldn't look at it as quitting, I would look at it as just trying out new things to find the things you like. If he likes swim, encourage that. I wouldn't torture him every weekend with soccer if he really isn't into it. What's the point? You're not teaching him to quit, you're teaching him to take chances and try new things and in doing that, it doesn't always work out and that's ok. That's a valuable lesson too.