Does your child have trouble in sports? | ADHD Information
I'm frustrated and crying and really disappointed right now. My 4 year old son Garrett, who I expect has ADHD (he has an appt. next Friday) was signed up for soccer this year. It's a small team of 4 & 5 year olds. Guess whose child either ran off, never paid attention to the coach OR the other players, disobeyed me & his Daddy every single second, and sat down and bawled his head off, hoping I would give in and say "Ok, let's just go home!"
Not to mention it was embarassing for me to have my child act like such a heathen when their children are happily doing their soccer practice. WHY IS IT ALWAYS MY CHILD THAT CAUSES PROBLEMS. I feel like I have the kid that when people know we're coming they shudder, and I hate that.
What do I do about this behavior here. I'm not pulling him from soccer, he will finish what we've started. He's not a quitter.
Thanks for letting me vent.
I'd wait until 6 yo to try soccer. There's a lot to keep track of on a soccer field. He's four, so you can always tell him last Saturday was the last game. Only you understand the quiting concept. Just tell him it was a fantastic season and he was a great team player. Done deal.
I started my son in soccer at age 5, and at age 9 he still has moments of not paying attention. Like when he's goalie and facing the net instead of the field, with the opponent speeding straight at the goal. We tried baseball, basketball, lacrosse. Solo sports are best fit -- non-team sports, where there's no team pressure, and preferrably no competition pressure. Martial arts, fencing, swimming. Stuff that does not involve a ball so there's less to keep track of. Team sports are always embarrassing for me, without fail.
They start soccer at Age 4 here, and so I was really excited to get him started in something. The first practice was tonight, so there hasn't even been a game yet.
Maybe my expectations were too high.
My ADHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHD son hated soccer, still does. There are more sports to choose from as he gets older, don't worry about it. My son did love swimming when he was your son's age.
DS is 11 and plays baseball, football and basketball - a sport each season. He plays what he likes and doesn't play what he doesn't like. He also likes golf, which I think we will take up next summer. He isn't the #1 star of the teams, but he does hit the homeruns and quarterback sackes every now and then.
Don't you worry. Your son is still young. So much is going to change once he gets to school and sees the boys at recess playing, he will join in. He will find the sports he likes and wants to play. It will all work it's way out! Hang in there!!
BETHANN39695.91850694442 things, first he's 4..........it's ok to quit if it's really not going to work out. Really, it won't make him thnk he can quit out on everything in life. Don't MAKE him play, he'll only resent it. I also agree with Jessica that a lot of ADHD kids do better with non team sports. If he does end up diagnosed with ADHD and you opt to use medication, that will also change things for him. Hang in there, you'vbe got a LOT of time to work out what his niche will be.Hi, agmama 79.
Did you check out the ADHD and Sports board? There is lots of good advice there, as well.
My son (ADHD) was in sports for 10 years, multiple, and did fairly well; he did particularly well in track (one of those, I guess you might say, solo sports).
Personally, at 4 years of age, I don't think it is a do or die situation. Developing the physical and mental abilities necessary takes time. 
Encourage him to have some fun. Best of luck to you.
prior to diagnosis and meds - big mistake. He did not pay attention and I
wound up not going. It was way more than I could handle. At first, I wanted
to not quit like you mentioned, then I realized that I had to think of myself
as well. I was so upset every time I went and embarrassed in front of the
other parents, that I just stopped and it was so much better. We recently
tried again at 8 yr. old (adhd diagnosed and on meds). He is still having
trouble, but I think it is because he is tired and meds wear off. I came to the
conclusion that soccer may not be his sport. He does other sports just fine,
baseball, tennis, golf, judo. Stick with what works. As your son matures, it
will get better. Quit if you have to, don't feel bad. Pick your battles.My son NEVER liked team sports! He did great at tae kwon do and likes basketball but won't play on a team he only likes drills. He is 10 and does participate in PE at school but likes solo sports as well, like horeback riding too.4 is very young, before signing him up. try the sport out in the yard to be sure it will hold his interest. Do it several times in a week for 15. If he still likes it then sign him up. You are not alone, lots of kids at that age don't like it or stay with it.. even if they don't have problems. Even though the kids start at 4 there, you can easily skip a year or two & try again. Many kids make little progress with the skills until later. He would not stand out starting later. DianeV is right about meds. If you wind up using them, they make a big difference with sports.
yup - 4 is way to early to enter team sports.
From a teaching perspective (and child development) remember that children only really learn how to SHARE around age 3+. So to suddenly be able to happily share a team ball, is not suprising.
And yes, adhd kids tend to dislike team sports. Same with my 7 y/o. He hated soccer and baseball and hockey. but he loves downhill skiing. and swimming.
Just try different sports preferably individual sports, until he finds something he likes...
My son was in soccer when he was 5 or 6 (he's 9 now). We did soccer two mini-seasons and he decided he didn't like it. His ADHD was so obvious then - the coach would have everyone run with their own ball and do some drills, then she'd call everyone over. Everyone would go except our son. He'd be out there doing his own thing, then he'd notice there were all these balls and you'd see him decide to start playing with them all, and then a light bulb would go on and he'd notice everyone was somewhere else. So, he'd run over there, and when he got there, she'd be telling everyone to go do what she had just told them. He always missed the instructions! It was really interesting to see. My husband and I were very understanding and we'd let him just do what he wanted. We couldn't be screaming across the huge soccer field all the time. But we saw what must be happening in the classroom too - just off in la-la-land and then ready to focus but it's too late.