Advice.....

Thanks guys for all of your thoughts. I have had a long talk with his Dad. He has chilled out a bit. I just reminded him about how he felt when his Dad would do that to him and the heart beark it caused him. I dont know if it was that or if it was that RJ did so good in practice yesterday they told him "If you keep playin like that you will get ur starting spot back before next game.

RJ really loves football, hes been waiting for years til he was old enough to play. I would hate if hes Daddy's bullheadedness affected that in the slightest.

Unfortunatly, boys think they have to impress their Fathers. I will never understand why. I know if RJ feels his dad is upset at his action it just breaks his heart. He is diffentaly a pleaser he always wants to make sure he does whatever he can to keep everyone else around him happy.

Well anyways, I just wanted to say thank you for the advice I used alot of it while talkin to his dad. :)

sounds very harsh, but points of life always are and (i guess hes normally a decent bloke) its very easy to make mistakes like he did, especially if his dad was the same, infact in some study, a very very high number of people who had been abused as kids went on to do it to their kids, now of course im not saying thats what this is, just an interesting comparison, if his dad had always put him down at football or something..

well sounds like your sorted anyway, good luck!

Gday Ammie,
Dont worry about it at all seriously because you will find it will happen with every kid that starts a new game.All my nephews started football at 5 years old the first games were hilarious they have really no clue what the game is about it takes quite a few games for them to realise what they have to do.I will start my son next year or the year after and i know he will be the same as your son and have no clue and get bored lol.We live on a golf course so i called them for lessons for my boy he was begging me to play it.Anyways they said no he is too young he wont concentrate and may distract the older kids 8 years and above.That was pretty sad i felt bad for him but apparently can be hard for kids to really concentrate on anything before they are 8.Or Ammie he may not be into sport at all lots of kids arent and i guess you cant force them to like something if they have nil intersest.Give him a few more tries and if he dosent like it maybe give him another sport option.Self defence is good for kids i did that from about 8 years old till the end of high school at 18 yrs.It teaches discipline and also how to get out of awkward situations.Good luck im sure he will find something he enjoys.

hey football is a sport where u gotta have ur head in the game at all times so i wouldnt blame the coaches for trying to explain it to ur son. but on the other hand his father went too far i think. in my opinion kids shouldnt start football until at least junior high. its just not a good sport for little kids.

Maybe join him up in Judo, I've seen kids get some real possitivity and confidence from that. I guess any martial art would be good too.

ammie...my boyfriend has a kid and well its a girl but i could kind of relate to your husbands actions...you always want the kid to be the best they can at whatever they are doing....that is why ur husband overeacted....u should tell ur husband that u dont want to seem like u guys are contradciting eachother and instead think of something better so u can go to your son and tell him this is howq its going to be...something like when u do good in practice u can start going out again..or tell me if u want to play football and if he does than tell him he needs to get his head in the game or else it is a waste of all of your time....letting your son not see that you too have to talk it out before you talk to him is a way for him to see that you guys agree on everything and are a family its not good for the kid to see the "arguing" or disaggereing...

Well done for not contraicting Mr Ammie in front of Little Ammie - confused messages will do more damage then good.

Jesus - "Your're off the team!"

Taking a very English point of view, this sounds like something from those terrible sports/high school type movies you occasionally send us!

If he likes it, encourage all the way. If he's ont, then explain to him options, and why you both think he should keep doing it. But also that these is more to live than sports, and those that think there isn't...well....they clearlt dont smoke pot now!