Should you let your kid play football?
 

I had a discussion with someone recently and mentioned I wasn't sure I'd let my son play football. She asked what I would do if he really wanted to. That got me thinking, I'm not sure! We like to watch games, and his cousins are great players so he may very well want to. What's your take on if and when to let your kids play football, or any contact sport?

There are many current and former NFL players who will not let their kids play. That's very telling.

my son wanted to play football last fall going into high school as a freshman....I didn't let him play for a few reasons....1) omg the cost to be on the team(!!!) 2) he's accident-prone and ADHD and that's just a surgery waiting to happen and 3) you have to keep grades up to play and he struggles SO MUCH academically even with spec ed help that adding another "thing to do" wasn't something I was willing to do

he also enjoys soccer and I told him that if he really wanted to play a sport, that he could try out for soccer this spring, which he ended up not doing anyhow lol

I think if the season is well controlled, with good refs and coaches, there isn't anything wrong with it. It's one of those things that you go into knowing there's a possibility you might get hurt. And if you accept that and understand that, I don't see why doing something you want or are passionate about should stop because of that. My boyfriend broke his back on a dirtbike, and is okay. And will probably one day hop right back on one. I broke my ankle while skiing when I was 13. I LOVE skiing, and I'm good at it. Did that stop me? No. Depending how old your kids are, I'd understand not wanting a very young child to play, but at the same time... It's generally pretty age grouped, so they're all for the most part on the same level.

Hi, I'm not a parent, but I have thought about this subject and here are my thoughts. Any contact sport is dangerous but I personally think that football is one of the more dangerous because the helmets may not be that sturdy and there is numerous contact to the body in football. Whether it is horseback riding or racing, skiing or snowboarding or football, there is a tremendous risk to one's body when engaged in these sports. I think football and others that I listed concern me as far as risk, in particular because of the contact with others or in the other cases, the extreme conditions.

The TV show, which is now off the air, Harry's Law, which was a law based drama show did an entire episode on kids playing football and it's risk.

It is definitely worth giving second thought to, I think and I wish you all the best in your decision.

My son played little league and got bored. Sometimes you need to let them see it through. Now he is a baseball player.

I don't have children but I have a brother who played high school and college football. My brother was always too big to play at the younger kids leagues as he was almost 6 feet tall by the time he was 11-12 (he finally stopped at 6ft 4!). Long story short, he excelled at high school football (he was a track runner at 6ft 4 and 230lbs, just built strong, all muscle and full of speed). He went to a 5 year college on a full scholarship and was red-shirted his first year (the college league only lets you play 4 years regardless of the number of years you go to school). So he never played a real game in year 1. So year 2, all ready to start his college football career, he was hurt with a back injury in a scrimmage with his own teammate that totally wrecked his football and running aspirations. It was spoken at one time that he could have been good enough to go pro, imagine that? And needless to say, our family was devastated with his injury but glad he is ok. He still has pain after all these years and has had a couple of surgeries. The only thing worth his football playing was the school allowed him to keep his scholarship (worth about $200k), he still was part of the team, and now he's in football for part of his career!

Literally one smash the wrong way on the football field changed his life forever. My mom never wanted him to play, my dad couldn't wait for him to play. I'm on the fence about whether I'd let my children play. It's really a crapshoot. Kids can be hurt doing anything (soccer, baseball, basketball, tennis, riding their bike, etc.), are we going to lock them in the house forever? I don't think so...

While plenty of sports have potential for injury, I'm guessing that Lecomtes is referring specifically to head injuries/concussions that are prevalent in football (although there are other sports that fall into this category too, ie: hockey, soccer, etc). This is more than a "eh, they might get hurt, but they'll heal" issue. There is new evidence suggesting something like more than 3 concussions in your lifetime can put you at risk for permanent brain damage (I don't remember if it is 3 or not, and don't have the time to look it up - so take that number with a grain of salt!). And this goes for children who play football!

It's a fascinating subject, and I'd highly recommend the documentary Head Games.

Then again...there is always Marching Band...and which kids end up as doctors, lawyers, engineers and other high demanding professionals ... Usually the band geeks ;)

Lecomtes, if you did not already pick a topic for your paper, this could be one!

I didn't let my boys play football or hockey (they are 12 & 14 now). They aren't physically aggressive enough, and I had visions of them getting pulverized in football, or concussed in hockey. If I felt they had the physical power AND they demonstrated incredible passion and drive, then I probably would have, even though I wouldn't have liked it.

I don't know about where you live, but here, lacrosse is really picking up in popularity, and that's another very dangerous sport that I probably wouldn't have let them play unless they met those 2 conditions above.

My son has played football since he was in third grade. Granted, he is a big kid and is physically able to handle the normal aggressiveness of the sport. Could he get hurt? You bet... I understand that. However, if I told him he couldn't play football, then what? Baseball? Basketball? Soccer? Lacrosse? Well, you can get hurt in those sports, too. So, to keep him perfectly safe, I would need to not let him play any sports at all. He could stay at home, play video games, watch TV and text. Or, since he won't be hanging around with his sports friends, he could hang around with those that are not active in school and sports. He could hang around with the kid who quit all sports so that he can smoke pot and drink.

Honestly, I am way more worried about him when he is out driving than I am when he is on the practice field or playing in a game. The great thing about football is what it has taught him regarding dedication, motivation and determination. He is active, physically fit, and has lots of friends. He knows what it is like to be a team player, to help his fellow teammates, and how to work together. Listen to Kenny Chesney's "The Boys of Fall" to see the other side of football. What we hear about in the media are the bad things, but there is also a good side to football.

My advice is to let him find his way and his passion. Pray for him to be safe in whatever he does, but also let him live life to the fullest!

There is so many studies coming out for the past few years about the effects of head trauma in sports (football and hockey, mainly) that showcase really scary results. More and more effects on the long term aspect of the brain.

Because of that, I'm not sure I'll let my future kids playing. But again, saying that now, when I don't have a teenagers doing puppy eyes and begging to play right in front of me, probably would not be the same situation...

Interesting topic! I don't have any kids, but if I did, I don't know if I would deny them of any sport that they wanted to try. Football and Hockey can be rough I understand. But I would let them try it out and really hope that they hated it and decided to take up badminton instead! :lol:

If they wanted to play, I'd totally let them. I'd never force them to play a sport they didn't want too, nor would I not let them play a sport that they had a passion for.