How do I get my son into sports?

Dear Mai Mai, China and Tingting,

I’m not in any trouble, nor do I have a personal problem, really. I just want your advice on one thing: how can I get my son into sports? I watch the news every day and notice that the young ones get into drugs and fights because they’re idle. I think being engaged in sports would be a good diversion. What if he doesn’t like any sport, considering both my husband and me aren’t the athletic type? How do we encourage him? My son’s just a baby but I’m getting paranoid.

Mama D

Playing any sport regularly is really a good diversion. More importantly, it is good for the body. Getting your son into sports should be easy if you start him early. If he has long limbs, basketball might be the sport for him. It is, after all, our favorite sport and there are courts everywhere. Buy him a ball and while he’s young, the wastebasket might be a good start for practicing his shooting. As he grows older and if you have the space, put up a court in your yard. Then, get involved. Ask your husband to play with him. It can be their time to bond. You can get involved yourself. Play or just be around when your son plays to give him support. If you see that he doesn’t like that sport, ask him what sport he’s interested in and move on from there. You don’t need to be paranoid. I think children get into drugs and all those bad things because of bad friends and bad influences. If you’re there for him and he knows it, I don’t think he’ll go astray. – China

We were all into sports when we were younger. Even though we were girls, our parents made sure that we were involved (and excelled) in at least one sport. And you’re right. It’s probably what kept us out of trouble. I’d be in soccer practice until early evening and I was too tired to do anything else but what was required of me (namely homework). But I’m glad my parents did that for me and I’m sure your son will appreciate it later, too. Playing any sport requires skill. But even if he doesn’t have it in his genes, he can still enjoy a sport and be good at it. Practice makes perfect, right? What’s important is he enjoys what he’s doing and you’re always there to watch every game and be supportive of him whether he wins or loses. – Mai Mai

I don’t blame you for worrying about your son. We live in a scary world. You’re on the right track in wanting your son to get into sports. Keeping him busy, healthy and interested will leave him less time to get involved with people with idle minds. However, I don’t suggest you push him into something specific. Introduce him to his options at a young age — shooting some hoops, kicking the ball around, batting practice or swinging a racquet. Then observe what he seems to be most interested in. At an older age, maybe you can introduce the game of chess to him. It will not only be a good activity but it will also develop his ability to mentally focus. If none of the sports work for him, don’t worry. Your son might be more into something else. Dancing? Singing? Playing a musical instrument? Art class? I think what’s important is that you discover his main interest, then make an effort to develop it and be supportive afterwards. – Tingting