AimeeM Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Here's the situation in a nutshell... (I may have posted something similar before, but it's at a head now) Nico (newly 6) is tentatively cleared for some sports... but only those considered minimal-low possibility of "contact". Soccer would be okay, in theory, but we made the decision that it was a no-go for several reasons. The biggest reasons being 1) Nico's physical endurance just isn't there right now; he tires very easily, and 2) he ages out of the U-6 team as of this fall, which means he would be with "normal sized" 6-8 year olds, and he is only the height/weight of a 3 year old - the risk of what little contact there may be in the sport is increased just because a contact from a child twice his size is a real possibility. He wanted to play soccer. His doctors do agree that he should do *something* active, and everyone thinks some type of dance would be great. We have an excellent studio here that has experience with children who have physical special needs, and they are even willing to let big sister (DD13) "dance" in the class with him (he isn't fond of other adults touching him) and is willing to help him build up the time he dances (i.e. his endurance). We had decided to put him in tap. We tried to put him in tap before, but they only offered ballet/tap combo at age 5, and he absolutely refused to do ballet (as in, no-way, not even kicking and screaming). So he's 6 now and can do the tap-only class. He is refusing. He is really upset at the idea. He absolutely needs a physical activity. He will not build his physical endurance without SOMETHING, and preferably something indoors - he just isn't able to handle the heat of our spring/summer outdoors for longer than 10 minutes (and it does get hot here, so I'm with him there)... and, really, he isn't an outdoorsy kind of guy; he hates bugs, too sunny, too hot, dirt, grass, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beaniemom Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 How is he in water? Would swimming be a sport/physical activity possibility. Often it can be indoors. Our developmental pediatrician suggested it to help ds7 build his endurance since other sports are not good options 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amo_mea_filiis. Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Can he do some swimming? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cammie Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 I would hate to force him to do something. What about gymnastics? Indoor, good activity level, no contact. Would he be interested in that? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucy the Valiant Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 (Forgive me if there's a backstory I'm missing) - Is he mature enough to understand the need for physical improvement? If so, does he have an alternative, workable suggestion? (That would influence whether or not I'd make him go.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 I would try gymnastics or martial arts. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMOm Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 How about something like karate or tae kwon do? It'd give him the activity with little physical contact (I am sure the studio would work with you on that)- and it might seem more boyish to him than dance. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storygirl Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Does the dance studio have a recital coming up that he could attend? If he sees other children dancing and enjoying it, maybe he would be more willing to give it a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Vote for swimming. If there is a "fear factor" present, locate a therapeutic swim program with instructors experienced and trained to help the swimmer work through and past the anxieties. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Does your area have a youth golf program? It might be a good way to ease him into physical activity and around here they play in the morning before it gets hot. Or perhaps bowling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Will he walk on a treadmill? Will he play active video games (like Wii games?) Can you go out for family walks in the evening when it's cooler outside? Is there a local mall you can walk around for exercise? I wouldn't force him to do the dance class if he doesn't want to do it. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Another vote that swimming might be a good option. I used to take Tai Chi. It's a very elegant, almost dance-y kind of martial art. Or perhaps just plain running? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Swimming (it is a requirement in my house. It was good for my sensory issues/motor coordination issues/ multiple dx kid) We also did gymnastics in a low key program for homeschoolers only. And we did TKD , but we waited until he was 10. Doing so was a good call because he was ready to handle the amount of discipline required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Bike riding? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 I agree, swimming/Tai Chi/Tae Kwon Do/treadmill/Wii/gymnastics all of those might be options if he really hates the idea of dance. Could you give him a choice between two and tell him it is either one or the other? That would be my first option. FWIW, I had a similar issue with DD but she was going into 6th grade. I needed her to do something outside our house where she could interact with others. She refused everything. I finally dragged her to a homeschool drama class. She was so unhappy as we walked across that parking lot. 3 years later, she is now the Stage Manager, designs the sets and costumes and is in charge of the stage crew, most of whom are High Schoolers. The Drama teacher adores her and DD has thrived. Just saying this to point out that while I normally prefer never to force a child to do something they really don't want to do (not including health issues, obviously), sometimes giving a strong nudge can actually work out really well. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Hey, do you have an Aqua Tots near you? They do swimming indoors with very supportive staff. Private lessons are available if he would be nervous around other kids. They sometimes have specials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 just some ideas (I have one who is also very difficult to get him to "do" something) swimming horseback riding (very good for core work) early in the am? or an inside ring? a kids yoga class. there are also some dvd's where the kids will feel like they're just being silly, but they're doing poses. boys gymnastics is different than girls (I've had one of each do gym) - and is VERY focused on building muscle. martial arts is great - if it's safe for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
applethyme Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 DS 7 has severe lung issues and also needs to build endurance. I enrolled him in Brazilian Jui Jitsu. We are seeing some improvement in both his behavior and endurance. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Another vote for swimming Will the doctor prescribe OT? My oldest had some great physical instruction in OT. I wouldn't make him take tap. My DS would never do any kind of performance activity. Ever. Oh--what about yoga? There are kids yoga classes and good DVDs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 We won't do yoga for religious reasons. He is terrified of water, but we will require some swimming instruction. The DD of the woman next door does therapeutic swimming lessons one-on-one, so we're going to look into that. He has his 6 year old well-child check up tomorrow, so I plan to ask for an OT referral for his fine motor skills anyway - I can definitely ask her to leave the referral more broad. He loves riding his bike, but it doesn't do much for his endurance, largely because it's outdoors and he just detests being outdoors so much that even an activity he enjoys doesn't stick for long. His grandfather did get him a new bike for his birthday, however (he hasn't seen it yet, as the party isn't for another two weeks or so) and that may be the ticket - he's been begging for a new "shiny red bicycle". Gymnastics... not really an option right now. The other reason we're asking for the OT referral is the very obvious sensory issues. He completely loses it at the sensation of going/falling backwards, being too high up, feeling off balance, etc. Right now he just isn't in a good "place" for gymnastics (we've tried it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 I would definitely work on swimming or movement in water, especially if you know someone he could work with one-on-one. Some kind of martial arts without sparring/contact would probably be good, too. I'd probably also push a little harder for him to at least try a tap dancing class. He may end up really enjoying it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 No, I wouldn't make him go. Maybe he would enjoy something like the Fisher-Price Smart Cycle, or just a regular kids' exercise bike while watching tv or listening to a book. Hope you find something that works for him. :grouphug: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 We won't do yoga for religious reasons. He is terrified of water, but we will require some swimming instruction. The DD of the woman next door does therapeutic swimming lessons one-on-one, so we're going to look into that. He has his 6 year old well-child check up tomorrow, so I plan to ask for an OT referral for his fine motor skills anyway - I can definitely ask her to leave the referral more broad. He loves riding his bike, but it doesn't do much for his endurance, largely because it's outdoors and he just detests being outdoors so much that even an activity he enjoys doesn't stick for long. His grandfather did get him a new bike for his birthday, however (he hasn't seen it yet, as the party isn't for another two weeks or so) and that may be the ticket - he's been begging for a new "shiny red bicycle". Gymnastics... not really an option right now. The other reason we're asking for the OT referral is the very obvious sensory issues. He completely loses it at the sensation of going/falling backwards, being too high up, feeling off balance, etc. Right now he just isn't in a good "place" for gymnastics (we've tried it). I thought you were Catholic? Afaik, the Church says nothing about yoga as exercise. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Nico (newly 6) is tentatively cleared for some sports... but only those considered minimal-low possibility of "contact". Soccer would be okay, in theory, but we made the decision that it was a no-go for several reasons. The biggest reasons being 1) Nico's physical endurance just isn't there right now; he tires very easily, and 2) he ages out of the U-6 team as of this fall, which means he would be with "normal sized" 6-8 year olds, and he is only the height/weight of a 3 year old - the risk of what little contact there may be in the sport is increased just because a contact from a child twice his size is a real possibility. He wanted to play soccer. You may do well to find another sport or activity; however, after coaching numerous sports in different organizations I have found that all of them, even ones with seemingly hard age guidelines, had special case exemptions for children who had developmental issues, including being significantly undersized. I'm in the process of getting one of my (barely too old) Lacrosse players and extra year playing down. I'm sure it will be approved, even though the rules appear to say no. It sometimes take a little doing to get the exemption (no one wants a "ringer" being held back), but for children who need to either stay back or not participate due to physical or medical issues leagues generally try to accommodate kids. Just a thought. Good luck! Bill 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 We won't do yoga for religious reasons. He is terrified of water, but we will require some swimming instruction. The DD of the woman next door does therapeutic swimming lessons one-on-one, so we're going to look into that. He has his 6 year old well-child check up tomorrow, so I plan to ask for an OT referral for his fine motor skills anyway - I can definitely ask her to leave the referral more broad. He loves riding his bike, but it doesn't do much for his endurance, largely because it's outdoors and he just detests being outdoors so much that even an activity he enjoys doesn't stick for long. His grandfather did get him a new bike for his birthday, however (he hasn't seen it yet, as the party isn't for another two weeks or so) and that may be the ticket - he's been begging for a new "shiny red bicycle". Gymnastics... not really an option right now. The other reason we're asking for the OT referral is the very obvious sensory issues. He completely loses it at the sensation of going/falling backwards, being too high up, feeling off balance, etc. Right now he just isn't in a good "place" for gymnastics (we've tried it). I would not force him to do any one thing. If he needs to improve endurance and is not comfortable in groups, it's time to start home workouts because we all have to do something. Can you get him a treadmill and offer prizes for reaching a certain speed for a certain amount of time? Would you look into a Christian yoga practice? There are such practices that combine the physical aspect of yoga with a Christian worldview. I've never done one but know Christians who have. I also agree with Bill that while it's rare, children with physical disabilities that are well documented may be able to play in a lower age group league. Good luck. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 I'd go with yoga or swimming. Not all yoga is steeped in eastern religion. Everything I've ever seen for kids and most adults is not at all against anything Christian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Nope. He wanted soccer. Let him play soccer, even in an adapted way. So what if he's no good? I would see if they can make an exception for him to play soccer with younger children. And if league rules prohibit, I would start a facebook invitation for your area, post about Nico, and ask kids to meet and have a soccer play group with him. Kids are great about adjusting rules to be more fair for those who are younger or have less abilities - IME kids are much more fair than adults in that respect. If that's not an option I would find a kid on a high school soccer team and hire him or her to teach Nico soccer and practice drills. Maybe no team stuff, and absolutely NO heading the ball. But drills, running, activity, and skills. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 I thought you were Catholic? Afaik, the Church says nothing about yoga as exercise. Although the church may not have an official position on yoga, there is a significant number of warnings from many priests and others. I would not do it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 I would have thought swimming, too. But if that's a no go, I do think martial arts might be worth looking into. Also, while I'm not sure it's productive to try and force a kid into an activity, as the mom of a dancing guy -- and specifically a tap dancer -- I do think it's worth strongly encouraging him to at least give the tap class a try. Do you know if there are other boys in the group? Has your son been able to articulate what, exactly, it is that he finds so upsetting about the idea? Do you think it would help him feel more enthusiastic/comfortable if he could see some video of an older guy tapping? Or if he could chat (via e-mail or something) with a guy who's been dancing for a while? My son considers it part of his mission in life to encourage boys to dance. So, if there's anything he/we could do to nudge Nico to try out the tap class, I'm sure he'd be happy to pitch in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kroe1 Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Well, I do say that we made our DD take dance at age 2. She was a tomboy and we thought it would make her learn to move gracefully in case she ever became tired of being a boy. She stomped her angry foot every class for awhile, but now at age 14, she is a competition dancer and loves the sport. I guess we got lucky. You have been given great advice so far. I just thought you might want one or two dance success stories. A boy on DD's team started dancing at about age 6 when his mom kept taking him to wait on his sister to get out of class. He now has a couple of national titles and as many girlfriends as he wants. What other sport do teenage boys get to be with a room full of gorgeous girls dressed in booty shorts and sports bras? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Will the league let him "play down" for medical reasons? Most of the time the age limits are more of a factor for the older levels (they don't want a 14 year old smoking 11 year olds or whatever). They will usually let a very small player or a very inexperienced player play down at that age. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 You might try to look at your community rec classes. There is often a multi-sport class, where they do a few weeks of several different sports over a period of a few months. Comm Rec classes are not as full of gung-ho parents and kids in my opinion as some of the league sports. They are also more likely to let you enroll him at an appropriate level instead of at his age level. I would NOT make a child sign up for a class, but I would make him go to sit in on one class. Ask if you can just observe one class so he can see what it is about. What about just using the OT sessions for him to build activity levels for now? Especially if you can get 2x a week OT, that will be a big step for him and they can target certain muscle groups. I can't remember if he has immune type issues, but if he doesn't, you may start looking for things like the bounce house, trampoline, or climbing/play structure type places. Just having him up and going seems to be your motivation and all those provide some great stimuli. In our area, the tramp places have special needs hours for kids who may need assistance and fewer bouncers to minimize contact. Incorporating some new activities into his day may be a way to not only increase his stamina but build some confidence. If he likes to bounce, you can buy some smaller bounce houses to use in your yard, so there won't be any other kid bouncers at all. They have some that are fully enclosed so he won't completely be 'outside' like on a trampoline. Ball pits can be great for kids who need to work on the 'going backwards' sensations, while still having some support. Some bigger indoor rock climbing gyms have portions of the wall that are appropriate for young kids. The spacing of the hand holds are closer together than on an adult only wall. A regular swing that is hung indoors or on a porch can help with sensory issues, core muscles, and positional issues. My kids have loved playing on exercise balls for years. The peanut is a favorite as well as the regular ball style. I have small ones that would easily fit a 3 yo size child. A bosu ball may be fun for him to bounce around on. We make all kinds of obstacle courses with items to balance on like these, and these and these and these etc. Hopity balls and jump ropes are also good for coordination. A plasma car is a good work out if he is heavy enough to make it go. Hand scooters take some real upper body strength and are fun to add to outdoor (or indoor if you have the right flooring) obstetrical courses. ie run around the tree, bike to the car, hand scooter 10feet, plasma car back to the car, jump rope 3 times, do 2 jumping jacks, etc. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 -We have an indoor soccer facility that does classes for little kids. They play on small "fields", it's indoors, might be a fit. -Martial arts. I know of one family with a son with cystic fibrosis who does this. -Swimming lessons would be part of the mix here. I wouldn't force dance but would make him choose something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammi K Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 We won't do yoga for religious reasons. Is there a kids' Pilates near you? - Similar results with core strength without the eastern influence. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Has seen men doing tap specifically? Some kids really get into it when they realize how much noise they're allowed to make. Does he like to stomp? Does he like to make noise? Depending on his sensory issues otoh, tap might be too much. It is loud and the cacophony of kids not getting the rhythm can be overwhelming to an audio sensitive person... My community has jazz and creative dance classes which are very much more about exploring space and different ways of moving. Maybe something like that? If you can find something that you're not committed long term to or isn't too expensive, I think I'd take him and tell him he can just sit and watch (of course clear it with the instructor first). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Oh and I ditto horseback riding, esp if you have someone who does therapeutic riding. Would be excellent if he's not scared of horses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 I think kids with heart issues need more aerobic exercise and yoga is the wrong type. I would ask the cardiologist. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 I was also going to suggest martial arts. Hapkido seems to be very safe, not a lot of contact. Our instructor would simply match him with a child of similar size and level. If yoga is out for religious reasons, martial arts may be as well, but you may need to talk with the instructor. Ours has never said anything that conflicts with our Christian beliefs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausmumof3 Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Archery or rock climbing? (Indoor?) Table tennis (surprisingly good exercise if you get into it) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 How densely populated is your area? Do you have more than one dance studio, gymnastics place, pool, etc. I found I had to check multiple places to "fit" each of my dss. When I said gymnastics, I meant tumbling specifically, not apparatus. I would look for tumbling classes. You don't need to go to a gymnastics place to get tumbling classes, rec centers often have them. If your rec center only has them for preschoolers, you may be able to go in and talk to the director about your needs and how small your ds and get him in. There are lots of small private swimming lesson places popping up now. They tend to be pricey, but they keep the water very warm and the pools they have are small and shallow. Rec centers have adapted aquatics programs. The initial goal of these programs is not actual swimming, but water adjustment. It can take some kids a while, but they come weekly and eventually get comfortable enough to try more. Not all adapted programs are the same, so you may have to try classes in different sessions at different places. Is he concerned that "boys don't dance". Has he seen recordings of male dancers, like Savion Glover? Some studios have more boys than others, you have to look around. Our studio used to have few boys, but a couple younger brothers started coming and then they brought friends and now in the little kid classes there are like 15 little boys. Look around. Then ask to participate in a trial class. My oldest we followed a policy of 1. always in swimming lessons and 2. one other sport a season. He got to choose the sport and he had to finish the season. We did try everything because he didn't last more than a couple seasons before deciding a sport wasn't for him. Basically, we'd look at all (and I do mean all) the rec offerings in the area each season and he'd pick. We ran through all the possible rec sports by age 10 and that's when we did TKD. There were a couple years that on top of swimming and rec sports he did homeschool gymnastics too. It was a real pain getting all that in, but cheaper than PT and he did build a huge amount of strength during that time so it was important. I had other kids in tow at these things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 You.might also ask the doctor about physical therapy for him. Our local therapy place has a kids camp for the summer with lots of fun but therapeutic activities to help the kids build their skills Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kentuckymom Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 You've gotten a lot of great advice about alternate activities. If you'd like to get him to consider tap, in addition to showing him videos of boys tap dancing or introducing him to boy dancers you might want to look for the book DON'T TAP DANCE ON YOUR TEACHER by Katherine Applegate. It's part of the Roscoe Riley Rules series of books, in which a first grade boy with the best of intentions always manages to mess things up in a hilarious way. My son loved the whole series when he was younger, but, as a (ballet) dancer he particularly connected to this one in which Roscoe learns to tap dance. If you son is reading on a first grade level or above he could read it himself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Does your area have any trampoline parks/gyms? Ours offers fitness classes for kids and grownups, and they are lots of fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 First, I'd try getting an exception for him to keep playing on the younger soccer team. Next, I'd get started on those swim lessons. He's going to need them sooner or later, right? Martial Arts is a great idea if the potential for some contact isn't an issue. At that age, there would probably be less contact in Martial Arts than in soccer. Plus, there are many advantages to Martial Arts other than exercise. If he's a petite boy, Martial Arts may be especially helpful for social reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Splash Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Contact soccer organization and get permission to put him on the younger team. We were able to do this for our youngest who was tiny. We needed proof of delay (that he needs OT should be enough). This worked great for our son. He had a wonderful time playing rec soccer. Now at 9 he doesn't play any more it got too competitive for him so now he swims (took several years befor he got comfortable) plays golf and goes hiking with Dh ( the hiking is to build his endurance). He was considering baseball and tennis as well but chose golf for now. He is tiny at 9 he is 45 lbs and 48" so individual sports work best for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daria Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 If contact sports are out, then I'd think carefully about putting him in soccer. Even if he is able to play down this year, he'll eventually want to move up, and above the tiny tot level soccer is absolutely a contact sport. But there are plenty of sports and physical activities that don't have contact, can be played indoors, and aren't tap dance. Keep looking until you find something that works for him. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 I thought you were Catholic? Afaik, the Church says nothing about yoga as exercise. They do to a point. https://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/yoga.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirstenhill Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 My DS6 really enjoyed a Hip Hop dance class this semester. It was an all boys class and very active. Still moving to the music, but a bit more freedom to the dancing than what I think of when I think of the more traditional forms of dance. Maybe a another studio is offering hip hop? (My son got the idea when he saw a break dancing performance...that was all he needed to think that dancing might be really fun!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 So he was once interested in tap? Or just not as repulsed as he was about ballet? Lol I would let it go. He is not interested. Can you have him dribble a basketball at an indoor location? Get a short goal for inside the garage? Ds is learning to dribble. He used the mini basketball at my parents' home. He got a youth size for his birthday. It says kids under 9 I think. So one of those sizes might be right. He is 7 and tall for his age but not ready for a real goal height so we are just focusing on the dribbling. We can practice passing, too. You do not need to join a team to practice skills. We have other outdoor toys I want to practice using with him (told him dh would do better lol I played catch with him with both a Nerf football and Velcro catch set). We also own two soccer balls. Basically like a mini and youth as well. We got a cheap plastic goal at Dollar General a couple summers ago for $5. I wanted to buy a second to make a fake field but could never find the second. We also have a toy t-ball set and I got the rubber bases at Dollar Tree. Just some ideas. I know you don't wanna do extended periods outside but there's also badminton. Short periods of outdoor play might be better than full game days with an organized group. He was once very excited about tap. He's pretty darn good at soccer - the dribbling, keeping pace, and footwork aspect of it. If they would allow an exception, we would do it in a heartbeat - we love soccer here (I played, my parents coached, DD has played for many years off and on). I'm looking at a center that has indoor & outdoor tennis right now, too. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 I would have thought swimming, too. But if that's a no go, I do think martial arts might be worth looking into. Also, while I'm not sure it's productive to try and force a kid into an activity, as the mom of a dancing guy -- and specifically a tap dancer -- I do think it's worth strongly encouraging him to at least give the tap class a try. Do you know if there are other boys in the group? Has your son been able to articulate what, exactly, it is that he finds so upsetting about the idea? Do you think it would help him feel more enthusiastic/comfortable if he could see some video of an older guy tapping? Or if he could chat (via e-mail or something) with a guy who's been dancing for a while? My son considers it part of his mission in life to encourage boys to dance. So, if there's anything he/we could do to nudge Nico to try out the tap class, I'm sure he'd be happy to pitch in. I believe (and I could be off here) that he thinks dancing is for girls. Nevermind that only two years ago he was still playing dress-up in his sister's nightgowns, for some reason (in the past 6 months or so) he has a wild hair up his rear about dancing in general being for girls (nope - this is not something we have EVER expressed to him). We are fairly traditional as far as gender roles go here, but that's never transferred over to clothing or extracurricular activities. He loved the idea of tap before. Does your son have any videos of him dancing that he be willing to share with Nico? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.