My little boy is 5 in August and despite strong attempts from the inlaws to brainwash him into becoming a Leeds United fan, he tells me that he "supports Barnsley" (i.e. my plan to brainwash him has won the day). I am going to get my first season ticket for a fair few seasons this week and plan to take him with me but I am slightly concerned that he may become disinterested and lose attention over the 90 mins etc. Does anyone on here take kids of a similar age - what do you think?
Check with club as not sure they will issue one if he is not 5 on 3rd. Doddy will know all about these rules
sit somewhere near the front so he can move(arse) about, take a nintendo ds/game boy etc, sorted also park him in the corner of the pub around mid day and get tucked into 10 pints beforehand... i find it takes the stress out of it.
I started taking my ex's lad when he was 5 to reserve matches, he was good as gold first time, second and third times it was a nightmare, there never was a fourth.
Last season was my sons first season. He was actually only 4 when I got the season ticket issued to him so I kept quiet in all the furore on the board earlier. At the first match he was absolutely in awe of the atmosphere and just stood amazed at all ... then after 20 mins he wanted to go home. When we scored the first goal he loved celebrating with everyone and you'd have thought that he'd been a lifelong supporter. I thought his attention wouldn't hold and took along a backpack full of sweets and his handheld games console; when he started complaining to me about being bored I just let him play with that. Let's face it; there are plenty of matches where even 20 year + supporters are bored out of their mind so a child with limited attention span is going to get bored at a match; it's a long time for them to sit and watch a lot of nothing. When you play in the back garden with them there's a goal every few seconds; here they may be 90 minutes without one. Gradully his attention span got wider; we got to half time before he complained he was bored. From then on he's started to get his favorite players and no doubt the upturn in results under Flicker sparked an interest in him. He still wants to play on my phone or something like that by the time we get to 70 mins or so but he watches a lot more of the game now and often walks around at home singing "We're the red and white army" to himself. I'd say you should definately go for it; but don't put pressure on him to enjoy it. It's going to be new, it's going to be boring and whilst we'd all like our kids to be as passionate about Barnsley as we are you have to remember that it is something that's grown in us over a lot of years and he's unlikely (though he may surprise you) to be instantly ignited with a burning passion for all things BFC. There's no reason not to in my view; so long as they start to enjoy it after a while it's a good thing for father and son to do together. Don't teach him anything untoward though - I got some right stick off the missus when my son was watching look north and when Warnock was giving an interview he declared to Mummy that "We all hate Leeds scum" ... I was secretly proud - the wife wasn't!
I suppose it's about dropping on the right game with kids, if it's a 0-0 or a heavy defeat then trying to get them interested in going again would be difficult. Would probably be best to go in the family area though, not just to get away from any bad language, but if they see other kids enjoying themselves then they are more likely to follow suit. I started going with my mates when I was about 10/11 - must admit I wasn't even that interested it was just what my mates were doing but after going a few times it was me pestering them to go, even went on my own a few times in my teens. I got my ex to go a few times and that was like taking a kid, moaned all the way through every time, didn't help that in the 4/5 times she came I think we lost every game and only scored once or twice.
Must say it's a noble deed, trying to introduce a new generation of Reds...May I make one little suggestion? Would you sit anywhere other than West lower..? :wink:
Despite what people on here go on about, with kids of that age not sitting still and kicking seats etc. My son fine. I first took him when he was 4, I got us both a season ticket. He watched the match and showed interest. He did ask me a lot of questions and probably spent most the second half sat on my knee. but he wasn't a pain to anyone else. I went to most night matches on my own has he would have probably fallen asleep. Now he loves it and hardly misses a game, the hundred of questions about which stand was supporting which team etc were well worth it.
My lad got the bug last season (8 year old) before that the games were too boring. This all came about once Flitcroft took over and Harewood's passion went on overdrive. I'd say no better time than the present to introduce them.
