[lorywhol]

This October I decided to put my DD into Tee-Ball

She is an only child (well until March 2013) and can be quite shy with new people.

8 games later she has not played a full game.

For the first two games she just watched.
For the next two she sat on the bench.
For the 5th game she went out to field.
For the 6th game she went out to bat (but because everyone was so excited for her when she hit the ball - they all cheered so loudly that she got upset, started crying and now....)
For the 7th game refused to play
For the 8th game she would only field.

And she said to me this week - she doesn't want to go anymore. Up until now, she has been happy to go.

Now thankfully the season has a big break and we don't return to a game until February.

We have talked about the difference between cheering and yelling (I thought she might have thought she was in trouble or something).

So.... do I give up and not return and leave it until next season (October 2013) and ask her then? or try again????

PS - the coach and rest of the team have been so patient and great with her. No one is giving her any grief about it, and I have never been so gently spoken and patient about anything in my life.

PSS - she is very proud of her certificate from the game where she did bat and tells people about it all the time.

PSSS - I can sometimes hear her in her room playing make believe tee=ball pretending to be the umpire and coach (it's very cute), so I don't believe she has been traumatised in any way.

Sorry - very long.....

[erindiv]

If my mum had pulled me out of everything I said "I don't want to go anymore" to I never would have done anything! If she is proud of her certificate and obviously enjoys the idea of playing, I believe she'll slowly grow to like it. She is very young, so chances are if you stopped taking her she'd soon ask to go again anyway.

Why not suggest to her to try a few more times, at least try batting again perhaps or some other goal, before she makes her decision?

[tiredtoo]

I would try her again next year and try to finish the season. Even if she is just going and watching. She is rather young and may just take time to warm up to people, the game or even understand the rules.
I had thought about enrolling my 4 year old in a sport but found a great program called Ready, Steady, Go that teaches 5 different sports each term. So the term just gone they spent 2 weeks on each sport, tennis, football, teeball, soccer and hockey. Both my 4 year old and 2 year old loved it. It also means they are trying out different sports, not stuck to one and it is more learning and fun rather than competition and you are right there to assist her if she requires it. This seems to have increased the confidence of both my children in sport. I figure after a few more terms of this my oldest child will be 5 and can choose to play a sport that she really liked.

[bees-knees]

Had a similar situation with my son when he was five, and was SO excited about playing football. Unfortunately, the reality did not match up to his very high expectations - he didn't like it and wanted to leave after about 10 minutes.

We continued to take him each week just to watch, and he was ok with that, then the following year, he went out and played. Still playing and loving his footy at 14.

So my advice would be to take her along to watch each week, just to help reinforce what goes on, what the rules are etc and maybe next season, she'll be ready to give it another go.

This post has been edited by bees-knees: 19/12/2012, 06:35 AM

[annodam]

My daughter has been playing T-Ball since she was 4yo, she's now 11yo & plays Softball in the Summer & Baseball in the Winter, she loves the game....
My son (just who turned 4yo in Nov.) was supposed to start playing in October this year, but we delayed his entry, he's all over the place atm, can't sit still etc.
He'll be better off starting at 5yo, DD plays catch with him all the time at home, so his hand-eye co-ordination & ball skills are excellent for someone so young but he's a little fire cracker.

From what I have noticed down at our club though, especially in T-Ball, every kid gets a bat & gets to field in a different position every week.
Never do I see kids sitting out on the bench just watching.
They're all out there participating.
As the kids get older, yes they get subbed, but they also get to pitch, catch, play in field & out field. It's never the same kid getting subbed.
I suppose if you have a kid that doesn't want to play & is happy watching for a while, I guess it's OK.

Go back after the break & if she still doesn't want to play, start up again in October.

[JRA]

i am a little confused, for those first 4 games where she didn't field, and just watched, was that her choice. I would hope a coach would give all kids a chance

[kreme]

I would encourage her to finish the season by explaining that it would let the team down if she didn't continue.
But I echo a PP's comments about a multi sport program. I am in Sydney and my son goes to Humpty Squad once a week, where they learn the skills for lots of different sports - tennis, soccer, basketball, rugby, AFL, tee ball, hockey, volleyball. It has done wonders for his confidence and skills.

[iwanttosleepin]

I don't think that a 4.5 year old 'needs' to do any organised sport.

My 4 year old has done some kindergym with parent on the floor with them..

If it were me and unless she was super interested in a particular sport/activity I'd wait another year or so.

[annodam]

^ I'm of that belief as well actually...

I read posts on here where people do so many structured activities with their toddlers - music, gym, play groups, library, swimming all in a week.
I get buggered just reading it!

They say their kids love all those activities & they probably do, but when do they get time to just play?

At that age they only need one activity, otherwise it's just too much, my 4yo son only does swimming lessons atm & that's enough...

[EBeditor]

It depends. If she is just shy and needs encouragment then I'd try her again after the holidays. If it is making her anxious and miserable pull her out. I pulled my 3 year old out of ballet and we haven't looked back.

My 5 y.o plays tee ball and it is a really great sport.