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CaidensMommy
My 3 Miracles!
Member since 5/05 5777 total posts
Name:
Melissa
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Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
Ok, so we have tried soccer, baseball, Cub Scouts and now karate (which he has just quit and his little brother has taken over since we have 2 months left on his contract) and he doesn't really like any of them???
He just seems soooo lazy or just hasn't found what he likes to do? He's taken swimming lessons and loved that and asked about a swim team, but he can barely swim and I can't afford to put him in tons of lessons just to get on a swim team for kids. He's even asked about track team, but they don't have anything for kids his age near me or at all. And I honestly think it will end up being too much work in the long run and he'd end up quitting anyway.
 With the karate, I thought he loved it which he did at first, but then he stopped putting in the effort, etc. Come to find out he just assumed he would get a black belt soon! Um, yeah... we explained that that takes years and years of practice and effort which he doesn't want to do.
Anyway, does anyone have any other ideas that he could do at his age that I could throw at him that he might enjoy??? I'm open to anything but ballet!  I refuse to just let him sit at home playing video games. We've always "forced" him to play some sport because he needs some kind of activity.
Please help with ideas??? We're at a loss! 
We're in NC so I'd have to look online for the ideas.
Thanks so much! 
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Posted 4/6/12 9:14 AM  |
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hazeleyes33
LIF Adult
Member since 5/05 13060 total posts
Name:
Ginger
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Re: Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
My son is the same age and he was in cub scouts too (didn't like....which I was actually happy as I did not like the dynamics of the group--lots of yelling and running around--- )
He was in baseball. Didn't want to join again even at the age when he could play a real game as he started when there were no real scores.
He is going to join football this year as the only thing he does is religion class. We will see how this pans out.
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| Posted 4/6/12 9:19 AM |
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FranM
And so it goes....
Member since 9/05 2217 total posts
Name:
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Re: Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
My DS is the same age. No advice on different activities other than just go out and play. Ride your bike, run around the yard, play ball with your brother. What ever but get outside and play. Every kid does not need to be involved in organized sports.
FWIW Ill offer my insight on boys this age and organized team sports.
Im finding the boys are starting to get competitive in sports and start gravitating to a favorite. DS hasn't found a favorite and has lost interest in a sport if he feels he is not "good enough". We try to instill a Do Your Best, Play fair and Have Fun attitude. I find it sad that at 8 he is not playing for the fun of it. Maybe its where we live, its a very sport oriented area. It dosent help when there are some parents that treat PAL sports as professional leagues. That's my 2 cent comment for the day.
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| Posted 4/6/12 9:39 AM |
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GoldenRod
10 years on LIF!
Member since 11/06 26792 total posts
Name:
Shawn
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Re: Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
Sounds like my DS... 
I'm the Den Leader in Cub Scouts, so he's going whether he likes it or not...
Luckily, he does seem to like it. Same with soccer. I'm the coach for his team, so he's staying in it for a while.... He started out not liking it, but now he does.
He loves swimming classes, but they were $$, and he wasn't actually learning anything. He just liked playing in the water...
He really dislikes karate, so we haven't been taking him to that any more. Hopefully, DD will start to like it again, so we can use up our leftover classes.
He tried track for one season, but didn't like that, either.
DS isn't overly coordinated, or focused, so I'm leery about putting him in a sport with a high-speed hard and/or pointy ball (football, lacrosse, baseball, etc).
I'm hoping he sticks with Cub Scouts and soccer, because I have no idea what to try next for him either...
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| Posted 4/6/12 9:47 AM |
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Re: Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
The one thing my DH won't do is let DS quit. If he starts he has to finish. He doesn't have to sign up next season, but he has to finish everything he starts. It gives them a chance to figure out if they really like the sport.
You can try gymnastics. Maybe he's not into sports. I think going to the park, playing outside, riding his bike, etc... They're all good ways to get them active without joining team sports, and it's free.
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| Posted 4/6/12 9:49 AM |
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CaidensMommy
My 3 Miracles!
Member since 5/05 5777 total posts
Name:
Melissa
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Re: Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
I guess he doesn't have to do an activity???
He definitely has my personality and always worries about what everyone else thinks and is VERY self-conscious.  I HATE being like this so I know how he feels. He always has said he wasn't good compared to the other kids.
And he has always finished a sport that he has started that was our thing too. You finish what you start. We started him with soccer at 3 (complete waste of time, lol) and then skipped the next season and then continues with soccer several more seasons and then went to t-ball and then baseball. We always told him you have to try it a couple of times before you'll know if he'll like it.
He's also only in Catechism now and that ends in May when he makes his Communion. He also hated going to that!  He just complains about everything except video games! 
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| Posted 4/6/12 10:59 AM |
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Janice
Sweet Jessie Quinn
Member since 5/05 27567 total posts
Name:
Janice
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Re: Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
my opinion isn't popular at all...but here it is...do away with the video games. just like that, take them away.
they are addicting and lead to no where.
At playdates, I see the boys just sit there like zombies for hours waiting for their turn staring at a screen.
I am fighting it. No DS either. He got one as a gift, dh called sender to explain our stance. Returned it.
he is bored, pick up a book.
Are there art classes at your Y? i am such a believer in art classes. I think every kid should be called an artist.
My 5 year old rides 2-3 miles every evening on his bike while i jog along with baby in stroller.
I have a lot of teachers as friends, mainly because they are available for meet ups during summer vaca...all of them agree, they can totally tell the boys who have game systems from those who don't. I know people disagree, their kid only plays for a limited time...whatever. everyone has their opinion, this is mine.
kids are at parks sitting there on devices. it is silly.
i will be the odd one out...i hate when a parent makes a kid finish a sport they aren't interested in. we have 2 right now on our soccer team. it is such a distraction for the coach who's job is hard already.
if he wants track, train him and run around at night or on weekends...most HS tracks are open. good luck!
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| Posted 4/6/12 11:20 AM |
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BargainMama
LIF Adult
Member since 5/09 15657 total posts
Name:
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Re: Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
How about something like a Lego Club, or art club? Not sure if they have either down there though. Or fencing? Boys seem to love swords, so he might like that.
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| Posted 4/6/12 11:28 AM |
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MommaG
Yay Spring!
Member since 5/05 5133 total posts
Name:
Gloria
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Re: Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
My DS will be seven this month. He is not really into organized activities. However, he is in swimming lessons. He was at the Y but I felt like he wasn't really learning anything. We switched places and he loves it now. He has learned so much so fast it's unbelievable. We probably could get him on a team at this point but we're just sticking with lessons until he's more comfortable.
He did go to a summer camp at the Y last year that he really liked. It was a three day per week sports camp, lasted three weeks and they played all different sports. I thought it might help him find an interest in a particular sport. He liked lacrosse but I'm not into that for him at such a young age.
Our church has a track team for his age so maybe you could look there for track.
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| Posted 4/6/12 1:06 PM |
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hazeleyes33
LIF Adult
Member since 5/05 13060 total posts
Name:
Ginger
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Re: Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
Posted by Janice
my opinion isn't popular at all...but here it is...do away with the video games. just like that, take them away.
they are addicting and lead to no where.
At playdates, I see the boys just sit there like zombies for hours waiting for their turn staring at a screen.
I am fighting it. No DS either. He got one as a gift, dh called sender to explain our stance. Returned it.
he is bored, pick up a book.
Are there art classes at your Y? i am such a believer in art classes. I think every kid should be called an artist.
My 5 year old rides 2-3 miles every evening on his bike while i jog along with baby in stroller.
I have a lot of teachers as friends, mainly because they are available for meet ups during summer vaca...all of them agree, they can totally tell the boys who have game systems from those who don't. I know people disagree, their kid only plays for a limited time...whatever. everyone has their opinion, this is mine.
kids are at parks sitting there on devices. it is silly.
i will be the odd one out...i hate when a parent makes a kid finish a sport they aren't interested in. we have 2 right now on our soccer team. it is such a distraction for the coach who's job is hard already.
if he wants track, train him and run around at night or on weekends...most HS tracks are open. good luck!
My son is 8 and doesn't play video games in this way. He might play some computer games but mostly he likes puzzles, crosswords, reading, playing football and throwing a baseball.
We do have the Wii but it is a phase for awhile and then nothing for months on end.
Oh...and I do agree with the OP about sticking an activity out until it is over.
I think this teaches a child that in life you can not just quit something just because you don't like it and it gives them the option of really seeing if they like it later on or if they truly do not want to do it anymore.
My dh was raised that quitting was ok and as adults his siblings are still like this. He has gotten better and is teaching our children that they are not allowed to quit something they have started.
Message edited 4/6/2012 1:12:56 PM.
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| Posted 4/6/12 1:10 PM |
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twicethefun
Loving life
Member since 7/06 4088 total posts
Name:
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Re: Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
There is still lots more for him to try. My eight yr old hated soccer and is not too thrilled with baseball. But he loves basketball and tennis. He also enjoys skating. I am thinking of letting him try roller hockey. He did football for a season and absolutely loved it and then decided he never wanted to sign up again. We were shocked, but I do not really want him playing that anyway. He is 8 as well.He really wants to take hiphop like his cousin. I am thinking of letting him.
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| Posted 4/6/12 10:57 PM |
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rojerono
Happiest.
Member since 8/06 13803 total posts
Name:
Jeannie
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Re: Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
Noah is 8 and didn't want Little League, tried and didn't like Lacrosse (it made his head itchy ).
Our deal is that he can TRY anything he wants.. but once he makes a commitment he will see it through no matter what. It's the reason he hasn't committed to anything since lacrosse!
We limiit game time (1 hour a day during the week, 2 hours on weekends) and the boys MUST go outside at least once a day. We also do stuff with them (hiking, bike riding, walking). Because they are so active naturally we haven't 'made' Noah join an activity, but we did ask if there was anything that interested him. He recently said he'd like to try gymnastics, horseback riding, hockey, football or tennis. So we took him out to play tennis with us yesterday and will take him again during the week... if he likes it we will sign him up.
Maybe ask your son if there is anything that interests him and see if there is a way to 'dip his toes in'? Like.. if he says he wants to join basketball you can take him down to the courts and play a few games? Or if he says he wants to try gymnastics you can see if there is a tumbling class that he can try out without a contract?
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| Posted 4/7/12 12:42 PM |
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Erica
LIF Adult
Member since 5/05 11767 total posts
Name:
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Re: Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
DS doesn't really want to do any sports, but he does do gymnastics and it's amazing what these boys can do. It makes them strong and flexible, they still have to work together and wait their turn, etc.
ITA with pp about just getting outside. DH is very good with this (I think it's his ADHD) he can never let them sit around. We live behind a big field with trails and hills and cool trees to climb, so they are constantly out there "exploring"
We go to a church parking lot (not on a sunday) and they ride their bikes while we chase them or they chase us.
We have a little park in our neighborhood and like to walk there and then go through the trails behind it. We go to Sunken Meadow to hike.
It's not as easy as just dropping them off somewhere, but it is worth it.
Message edited 4/7/2012 5:59:35 PM.
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| Posted 4/7/12 5:59 PM |
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Bops
My 3 wishes
Member since 12/07 13625 total posts
Name:
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Re: Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
Is he into music? Maybe he can take drum or guitar lessons?
My 6.5 yo takes an all boys hip-hop class and loves it ...
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| Posted 4/12/12 8:26 PM |
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Stacey1403
Where it all began....
Member since 5/05 24065 total posts
Name:
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Re: Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
Would you be open to football? My DS LOVES it!!
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| Posted 4/12/12 8:38 PM |
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twicethefun
Loving life
Member since 7/06 4088 total posts
Name:
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Re: Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
Posted by Bops
Is he into music? Maybe he can take drum or guitar lessons?
My 6.5 yo takes an all boys hip-hop class and loves it ...
Where? My 8 yr old really wannts to do this.
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| Posted 4/12/12 8:47 PM |
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Little-J-Mommy
I'm a Big Brother
Member since 5/06 8041 total posts
Name:
D
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Re: Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
I hate to say this, but your son HAS told you what he's interested in. Just because he's not good enough for the swim team, doesn't mean he shouldn't continue swim lessons. If he likes it, let him do it. It's a great skill (life saving really) and excellent exercise. He wants to run track? Take him running. Go up to the HS track, bring a friend too if they'd like and let them run. You and the other parent can walk the track and chit chat too. Bring your other kids and make it a family activity after dinner. Go around the block, whatever.
It seems you're wracking your brain for an activity for him to do that YOU want him to do. Let him do what HE likes kwim
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| Posted 4/12/12 8:51 PM |
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brownie
Baby #1 is here!
Member since 11/08 13903 total posts
Name:
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Re: Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
Posted by Janice
my opinion isn't popular at all...but here it is...do away with the video games. just like that, take them away.
they are addicting and lead to no where.
At playdates, I see the boys just sit there like zombies for hours waiting for their turn staring at a screen.
I am fighting it. No DS either. He got one as a gift, dh called sender to explain our stance. Returned it.
he is bored, pick up a book.
ITA
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| Posted 4/12/12 9:01 PM |
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Bops
My 3 wishes
Member since 12/07 13625 total posts
Name:
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Re: Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
Posted by twicethefun
Posted by Bops
Is he into music? Maybe he can take drum or guitar lessons?
My 6.5 yo takes an all boys hip-hop class and loves it ...
Where? My 8 yr old really wannts to do this.
TJE Dance Force in Holbrook ...
My DS loves it!
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| Posted 4/12/12 9:16 PM |
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Karen
Just chillin'!!
Member since 1/06 9690 total posts
Name:
Karen
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Re: Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
Posted by Little-J-Mommy
I hate to say this, but your son HAS told you what he's interested in. Just because he's not good enough for the swim team, doesn't mean he shouldn't continue swim lessons. If he likes it, let him do it. It's a great skill (life saving really) and excellent exercise. He wants to run track? Take him running. Go up to the HS track, bring a friend too if they'd like and let them run. You and the other parent can walk the track and chit chat too. Bring your other kids and make it a family activity after dinner. Go around the block, whatever.
It seems you're wracking your brain for an activity for him to do that YOU want him to do. Let him do what HE likes kwim
Well said!
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| Posted 4/12/12 9:22 PM |
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HeathKernandez
Our Ron is an awesome Ron
Member since 4/07 9091 total posts
Name:
baby fish mouth
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Re: Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
Posted by Little-J-Mommy
I hate to say this, but your son HAS told you what he's interested in. Just because he's not good enough for the swim team, doesn't mean he shouldn't continue swim lessons. If he likes it, let him do it. It's a great skill (life saving really) and excellent exercise. He wants to run track? Take him running. Go up to the HS track, bring a friend too if they'd like and let them run. You and the other parent can walk the track and chit chat too. Bring your other kids and make it a family activity after dinner. Go around the block, whatever.
It seems you're wracking your brain for an activity for him to do that YOU want him to do. Let him do what HE likes kwim
i agree... He TOLD YOU what he likes... suck it up... cut back on something and let him take swim lessons...
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| Posted 4/12/12 11:39 PM |
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GoldenRod
10 years on LIF!
Member since 11/06 26792 total posts
Name:
Shawn
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Re: Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
Posted by HeathKernandez
Posted by Little-J-Mommy
I hate to say this, but your son HAS told you what he's interested in. Just because he's not good enough for the swim team, doesn't mean he shouldn't continue swim lessons. If he likes it, let him do it. It's a great skill (life saving really) and excellent exercise. He wants to run track? Take him running. Go up to the HS track, bring a friend too if they'd like and let them run. You and the other parent can walk the track and chit chat too. Bring your other kids and make it a family activity after dinner. Go around the block, whatever.
It seems you're wracking your brain for an activity for him to do that YOU want him to do. Let him do what HE likes kwim
i agree... He TOLD YOU what he likes... suck it up... cut back on something and let him take swim lessons...
But, from what she wrote, her DS sounds very similar to my DS. He *says* he likes swimming lessons, but if he's taken lessons and still can't swim, he probably just wants to play in the water, not actually race, or have structured lessons, exactly like my DS. My DS repeatedly said he liked the lessons, but after a lot of lessons, and not much progress, he finally admitted that he like the free play part of the lesson, and not the actually learning part of it.
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| Posted 4/13/12 12:09 AM |
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Little-J-Mommy
I'm a Big Brother
Member since 5/06 8041 total posts
Name:
D
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Re: Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
Posted by GoldenRod
But, from what she wrote, her DS sounds very similar to my DS. He *says* he likes swimming lessons, but if he's taken lessons and still can't swim, he probably just wants to play in the water, not actually race, or have structured lessons, exactly like my DS. My DS repeatedly said he liked the lessons, but after a lot of lessons, and not much progress, he finally admitted that he like the free play part of the lesson, and not the actually learning part of it.
I see your point but IMO swimming is a lifelong skill that could really benefit him. My point is, don't send him to lessons with the purpose of making the swim team; send him to lessons to LEARN to swim. If he's not learning in his lessons, that's the fault of the instructor, not the student. And if he LOVES the free swim portion, let him enjoy it! Isn't that the whole point?? She's looking for an activity that her kid enjoys that keeps him active?? I don't see the downside here at all.
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| Posted 4/13/12 9:41 AM |
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PrincessP
Big sister!!!!!!!!!!
Member since 12/05 17450 total posts
Name:
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Re: Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
Maybe he doesnt like competitive sports. Maybe try an easy gymnastics class. They are usually fun for the kids.
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| Posted 4/13/12 4:10 PM |
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Mkr09
.....
Member since 5/05 7550 total posts
Name:
M
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Re: Need activity help for 8 yr old son!!!!
My nephews were kind of the same way. They went through basketball, soccer, karate. They liked karate but when the place closed down they didn't want to try someplace new. My niece's dance school offered free hip hop classes for any boy so my sister decided to sign them up. They love it. Also my niece had to do volunteer work for school and started going with my mom to a soup kitchen. Once school started dance interfered with the soup kitchen so my mom started bring my nephew. He looks forward to it every week. Maybe something like that to get him involved but isn't a sport.
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| Posted 4/14/12 3:49 PM |
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