Take and Leave Advice for Fellow Dads

[alt f4]

I've got 3 boys - 13, 6, 3 and a baby 4 month girl. I've got a ton of advice, but I'll start youth sports related.

I didn't wrestle growing up, but start your kids in wrestling and/or gymnastics as soon as 3 years old or whenever they're old enough to pay attention away from you for an extended period of time. Don't push them into meets until later, if at all. Not programs through the YMCA, but find something in which develops them more. For 3/4 year olds find something that exposes them to wrestling/gymnastics focused developing them as becoming coachable, learning basics, and becoming athletes. As you enter K and beyond get them exposed to more advanced stuff.

I coached youth tackle football for last 5 years and flag for last 9 years. By far the best tacklers, more physical kids, and easiest to coach all wrestled.

I just placed my 3 and 6 year old in wrestling in Dec and I'm already noticing a huge shift in their behavior and listening at home, especially when they're wrestling/playing together.

If you can, skip flag football through the YMCA or rec leagues and play what's called Flex football. It's a combo of spider pads/soft helmets and flag football.

 

[HuskerGarrett]

This is good advice, thank you. I have a 5 year old and 3 year old boys. My oldest is super in to sports and wants to try everything but my 3 year old shows little interest so far haha. They played tee-ball together and have swim classes. My oldest plays basketball and just finished “hockey” as well.

I help coach the basketball team so let me know if you know of any drills for a bunch of 5-6 year olds 😂

 

[Walter Sobchak]

Have 3 kids, 19, 17 and 15. Not so much sports related, but don't become so career driven that you miss a ton of their school stuff or sports. I did this unfortunately, realized it too late, and missed so much. Thankfully we all have strong and close relationships still, but they've all said they really wished I didn't work so much all their lives.

 

[Poor_and_Stupid]

Seriously though, good advice. I’m partial to basketball, but our school as a lot of tradition when it comes to the wrasslin. My son is 6 months old so it’s a little early to be thinking about this stuff, but it still would be a good deal to get him into when the time comes.

 

[Bootleg11]

3 boys big believer in flag football.

Didn’t like Y football, started my own league. Now up to 12 teams grades 1-4

 

[BluesBucksNHuskers]

I've got 3 boys - 13, 6, 3 and a baby 4 month girl. I've got a ton of advice, but I'll start youth sports related.

I didn't wrestle growing up, but start your kids in wrestling and/or gymnastics as soon as 3 years old or whenever they're old enough to pay attention away from you for an extended period of time. Don't push them into meets until later, if at all. Not programs through the YMCA, but find something in which develops them more. For 3/4 year olds find something that exposes them to wrestling/gymnastics focused developing them as becoming coachable, learning basics, and becoming athletes. As you enter K and beyond get them exposed to more advanced stuff.

I coached youth tackle football for last 5 years and flag for last 9 years. By far the best tacklers, more physical kids, and easiest to coach all wrestled.

I just placed my 3 and 6 year old in wrestling in Dec and I'm already noticing a huge shift in their behavior and listening at home, especially when they're wrestling/playing together.

If you can, skip flag football through the YMCA or rec leagues and play what's called Flex football. It's a combo of spider pads/soft helmets and flag football.

Good call on the wrestling. My son (10) played football for the first time last year and it was amazing the difference in physicality the 5-6 kids that wrestled had vs the rest of the the 30-40 kids that hadn’t.

There was zero skill drop off either between the kids that had played flag football the last 3-4 years.

My advice, if your kid plays youth baseball - set up your chair deeper than 1st/3rd base out of the gate so it’s not evident to everyone you are sick of their bullshit when you start doing it mid-season the 4th year of it. The line of soccer chairs amongst the other parents is a fucking cesspool of psychotic people with zero perspective.

 

[...TrueColors...]

I would echo @alt f4 ’s advice and I’d go one step further and say do wrestling and/or Brazilian jiujitsu if you can. My 7 year old son and I both do BJJ and I’ve noticed a huge change in his core strength, focus, attention to detail, confidence, etc and I could keep going.

Dads, if you’re wanting to add a hobby or get in shape I would strongly recommend BJJ.

 

[...TrueColors...]

Question for any baseball dads…

My son is 7. I know that they can play “select” 🙄🙄 at 8u. That’s where he’d play this summer.

My son is going to fit right in with the average kids his age when it comes to throwing and catching. But hitting the ball, he’s certainly going to stand out as a kid who probably belongs playing on a bit more of a serious team. One of my buddies that owns a facility in CB told me he needs to be playing “select.”

Is there any benefit at that age to having him play on a “select” team?

 

[11husker23]

Question for any baseball dads…

My son is 7. I know that they can play “select” 🙄🙄 at 8u. That’s where he’d play this summer.

My son is going to fit right in with the average kids his age when it comes to throwing and catching. But hitting the ball, he’s certainly going to stand out as a kid who probably belongs playing on a bit more of a serious team. One of my buddies that owns a facility in CB told me he needs to be playing “select.”

Is there any benefit at that age to having him play on a “select” team?

Benefits would depend on the team he would play for. There are organizations that are about development and long term success and others that are truly a business. If you find the right coach/organization that can help him develop it’s a lot better than rec ball. Rec ball will just be someone’s dad helping and they may or may not know anything. Select will certainly give him more of an opportunity to play than rec, but in terms of practice and development that will vary from one organization to another.

 

[...TrueColors...]

Benefits would depend on the team he would play for. There are organizations that are about development and long term success and others that are truly a business. If you find the right coach/organization that can help him develop it’s a lot better than rec ball. Rec ball will just be someone’s dad helping and they may or may not know anything. Select will certainly give him more of an opportunity to play than rec, but in terms of practice and development that will vary from one organization to another.

That’s the other predicament I find myself in. My son wants to play select and take it seriously. But I’m not sure that his mom would be totally on board for that type of time commitment.

 

[alt f4]

Question for any baseball dads…

My son is 7. I know that they can play “select” 🙄🙄 at 8u. That’s where he’d play this summer.

My son is going to fit right in with the average kids his age when it comes to throwing and catching. But hitting the ball, he’s certainly going to stand out as a kid who probably belongs playing on a bit more of a serious team. One of my buddies that owns a facility in CB told me he needs to be playing “select.”

Is there any benefit at that age to having him play on a “select” team?

This is tough one because you almost have to plan for what your son will playing in high school and beyond in both baseball and basketball starting around ages 7/8. If you wait a few years, they're going to be passed up developmentally by those who started playing in 8u and it'll be harder to get on quality teams down the road if you don't start them young. However, you're risking burnout faster when you start them that young. I know an 8u team has been practicing for 2 months now and is headed to several out of state (MO/IA/KS/OK) tournaments and also flying to Florida for a tournament. There are good teams that limit themselves to local leagues and tournaments. There isn't a lot of middle ground teams between rec and higher select teams.

I almost hope my younger kids hate baseball so we don't have to go through that in winter, spring, and summer. Oldest wasn't really good at baseball so we're in Babe Ruth league which has a mix of former burnt out select and rec players.

 

[Mr.Bojangles]

This is definitely a leave never sniff a diaper to see if they shit always look.

 

[Huskerbuck85]

I've got 3 boys - 13, 6, 3 and a baby 4 month girl. I've got a ton of advice, but I'll start youth sports related.

I didn't wrestle growing up, but start your kids in wrestling and/or gymnastics as soon as 3 years old or whenever they're old enough to pay attention away from you for an extended period of time. Don't push them into meets until later, if at all. Not programs through the YMCA, but find something in which develops them more. For 3/4 year olds find something that exposes them to wrestling/gymnastics focused developing them as becoming coachable, learning basics, and becoming athletes. As you enter K and beyond get them exposed to more advanced stuff.

I coached youth tackle football for last 5 years and flag for last 9 years. By far the best tacklers, more physical kids, and easiest to coach all wrestled.

I just placed my 3 and 6 year old in wrestling in Dec and I'm already noticing a huge shift in their behavior and listening at home, especially when they're wrestling/playing together.

If you can, skip flag football through the YMCA or rec leagues and play what's called Flex football. It's a combo of spider pads/soft helmets and flag football.

My 4 yr old last year was in wrestling. He was young but it was definitely good for him. We moved to Omaha and this Fall (age 5) he did NFL flag football. It was just “ok”. Now he’s signed up for ymca basketball as that’s what he wanted to try this year instead of wrestling. Honestly I wish he were wrestling too.

My now 4 yr old is a scrappy little son of a gun and I wanted him wrestling but tried the Elkhorn league and his birthday didn’t fall right which sucks. He’d be fun to watch. Also put him in the ymca basketball league just to have him in something.

 

[Huskerbuck85]

Have 3 kids, 19, 17 and 15. Not so much sports related, but don't become so career driven that you miss a ton of their school stuff or sports. I did this unfortunately, realized it too late, and missed so much. Thankfully we all have strong and close relationships still, but they've all said they really wished I didn't work so much all their lives.

Not criticizing you for working. Just saw this the other day and liked it. This is how my mind has always worked tho with family and especially since I became a father. Nothing wrong with being able to provide nice things either tho. Need to find the balance.

 

[Huskerbuck85]

Question for any baseball dads…

My son is 7. I know that they can play “select” 🙄🙄 at 8u. That’s where he’d play this summer.

My son is going to fit right in with the average kids his age when it comes to throwing and catching. But hitting the ball, he’s certainly going to stand out as a kid who probably belongs playing on a bit more of a serious team. One of my buddies that owns a facility in CB told me he needs to be playing “select.”

Is there any benefit at that age to having him play on a “select” team?

My step son is always on “select” teams in Elkhorn because his “father” pushes his kids hard and tries to live through them due to his own failures. I’d have to say there is nothing “select” about the select teams I’ve seen play. Only thing I can see different is the stupid amount of money you pay to be in the league for an average dad to coach. I’m sure there’s some good teams out there but don’t get too caught up in that select bullshit.

 

[LoudHogRider]

Non-Sports related advice (something to consider for NEXT Christmas as it's too late for this year's gift extravaganza):

We always asked our kids to find a toy, piece of clothing or SOMETHING they valued to give to kids less fortunate, knowing that Santa was coming to our house again this year. It taught them the value of giving, appreciation for those less fortunate, and helped us out as parents in moving out some of the stuff that THEY decided they could part with.

Sports related advice:
We were forced to "sign off" on a video for my daughter's select travel team, in which a former referee outlined the many ways that parents ruin the joy of sports for their children. #1 on the list was the dreaded drive home, and #2 was their parents' behavior at games. Acknowledge that there are four (4) active roles at any sporting event event:

• Coaches - You're NOT coaching (well, most of you aren't). Let the coaches coach. STFU. Players need to learn to approach the coaches to discuss things, not Mommy and Daddy.
• Players - Your (yore) playing days are over. Its your (yore) kids turn now - let them play. Stop yelling at them to play harder, skate faster, jump higher, etc.
• Umpires / Referees - STFU and let them do their job.
• Fans - You are here. Be a fan. Better yet - be a GOOD fan.

 

[HuskerDocCo]

FFFFAAARRTTTTT fvck those kids!! learn to bale hay and ride a combine before Brazilian fvckin jujutsu !! what’re we talkin about. teach em how to play monopoly before handin them a black belt

 

[Steveweiser316]

If you’re a new parent - SLEEP TRAIN. My daughter is 18 months old, we sleep trained her at 8 months old, since then she’s slept for at least 10 hours each night, minus 3 weeks when she had a regression. It was an absolute game changer. She know gets on average 10 1/2 - 11 hours of sleep at night

 

[Steveweiser316]

Any Dads of twins on here? My daughter turns 2 the end of June. Twins are due beginning of June but they’ll come early, I’m gonna have 3 kids under the age of 2 until my daughter’s 2nd bday, it’s gonna be brutal

 

[Jim14510]

Any Dads of twins on here? My daughter turns 2 the end of June. Twins are due beginning of June but they’ll come early, I’m gonna have 3 kids under the age of 2 until my daughter’s 2nd bday, it’s gonna be brutal