Will you/ do you let your kid play football?

[KSpan]

false equivalency... driving is necessary to navigate socially and functionally whereas playing football is not

As a parent, you can choose to not let your kid drive and to transport them everywhere yourself until they leave. It is absolutely equivalent, but the difference is that driving is a socially-accepted risk whose dangers, particularly to young drivers, are not as sensationalized as the current discussion about football.

[Brooklyn Bully]

Football. Not "sports".

[Brooklyn Bully]

As a parent, you can choose to not let your kid drive and to transport them everywhere yourself until they leave. It is absolutely equivalent, but the difference is that driving is a socially-accepted risk whose dangers, particularly to young drivers, are not as sensationalized as the current discussion about football.

 

No, my WHOLE point is that football can put dangerous wear and tear on your body. Driving puts zero wear and tear on your body. This is not about "accidents". If you want to make your own thread about how driving is just as dangerous as football feel free, but that's not what this is about.

[PhillyB]

As a parent, you can choose to not let your kid drive and to transport them everywhere yourself until they leave. It is absolutely equivalent, but the difference is that driving is a socially-accepted risk whose dangers, particularly to young drivers, are not as sensationalized as the current discussion about football.

 

no it's not. driving is, for all intents and purposes, essential for personal autonomy. playing football is not.

 

i'm not taking a stance either way on whether or not i'd let my kid play football (i don't have to worry about that, yet) but it's a terrible comparison.

[KSpan]

Football. Not "sports".

Soccer and hockey have significant concussion rates, baseball has an incredibly high acute risk, basketball has lots of knee and ankle injuries... where does it stop?

[Salvo]

Don't have kids right now, but if they wanted to play, I would let them. 

 

Would probably treat it how my parents treated it, though. I played flag in middle school and then joined the HS freshman team, where I was 5'5'' 110 lbs. I got pushed around a bit and never got past 2nd string, but I held my own without any injuries. Once I got to junior varsity, it was apparent that I did not grow enough to really be a part of the team. My parents were hesitant about it but before they could say anything, I got kicked off for other reasons.

 

Point being, they probably would have yanked me if they saw myself being way out of my league...which it was destined to be. I would let my kid try the sport, but if he was too small (which is a good chance with my genes), the risk would probably be greater than the reward. Definitely no tackle before HS...

[thefuzz]

no it's not. driving is, for all intents and purposes, essential for personal autonomy. playing football is not.

 

i'm not taking a stance either way on whether or not i'd let my kid play football (i don't have to worry about that, yet) but it's a terrible comparison.

 

 

No one is comparing driving to football.

 

 

What I am saying, is that if I didn't allow my boy to play football, for the sake of his safety, should I allow him other indulgences?

 

 

Can he be a boy scout?  Can he go white water rafting?  Should he snowboard?

 

 

I'm not going to wrap my kid in a blanket and hope for the best, the kid needs to live, and learn.

[KSpan]

No, my WHOLE point is that football can put dangerous wear and tear on your body. Driving puts zero wear and tear on your body. This is not about "accidents". If you want to make your own thread about how driving is just as dangerous as football feel free, but that's not what this is about.

Any sport or physical activity can do that. Your issue with football is the perception of undue risk, and activities such as driving absolutely carry the same risk. I did not make the initial comparison but I feel it is valid.

[KSpan]

no it's not. driving is, for all intents and purposes, essential for personal autonomy. playing football is not.

i'm not taking a stance either way on whether or not i'd let my kid play football (i don't have to worry about that, yet) but it's a terrible comparison.

And taking the power out of your kids' hands because you have decided something that they want to do that could have very positive benefits (different than something like doing drugs, which has zero positive benefit) is too dangerous is not bad for personal autonomy? Sorry, but the comparison is absolutely valid on a general level.

[TheRumGone]

Don't have kids right now, but if they wanted to play, I would let them.

Would probably treat it how my parents treated it, though. I played flag in middle school and then joined the HS freshman team, where I was 5'5'' 110 lbs. I got pushed around a bit and never got past 2nd string, but I held my own without any injuries. Once I got to junior varsity, it was apparent that I did not grow enough to really be a part of the team. My parents were hesitant about it but before they could say anything, I got kicked off for other reasons.

Point being, they probably would have yanked me if they saw myself being way out of my league...which it was destined to be. I would let my kid try the sport, but if he was too small (which is a good chance with my genes), the risk would probably be greater than the reward. Definitely no tackle before HS...

Yeah I was insanely small for my grade. But I was also the youngest kid for my grade in my entire school. So my dad wouldn't let me play because I was 5 3 140lbs until my junior year when I shot up 7 inches and added 30 lbs. by that point I was so into baseball and It was really too late to try it.

I always loved the game and had a ton of friends on the football team who were also on the baseball team. I ran cross country instead to stay in shape for baseball.

My dad is a large human being and he got fuged up pretty bad in hs and military tackle football he played. He's got tons of knee and neck problems and goes to a chiropractor once a week for it. I was so small he was afraid I'd get killed. It's really a wash though cause I'm dealing with some of the same stuff from baseball but probably to a lesser extent.

[TheRumGone]

(different than something like doing drugs, which has zero positive benefit

 

well that's like your opinion man.

[TheRumGone]

Yeah, baseball actually is an interesting one with pitchers. I think when they're young, they need to take a "Greg Maddux" approach. Learn to hit the corners, and spots. Learn how to read a batter. Don't just go up there and flame it. So many guys are getting tommy john surgery. Kerry Wood and Mark prior could've been great. I'm shocked Nolan Ryan made it. I know Little League has certain pitch count rules, and I think they aren't allowed to throw certain pitches until a certain age. But football? Nothing for the most part. Why? "They have pads on". 

 

from what i've heard they are letting kids throw curveballs wayyyyyy to young. and yea you have limited pitch count rules

 

i was fastball/changeup until 15.

 

nolan ryan is a freak of nature

[Jackofalltrades]

Absolutely.

[Doc Holiday]

I'd push my kid to none traditional sports, like whitewater kayaking, love the sport, it's dangerous as fug but it's a great enough sport that I would want my kids to expirence it as well.

Seriously football is my 3rd, maybe 4th Favorite sport.