Is he less a fan of organized sports or team sports? An individual sport like gymnastics, figure skating, or something like that would be ideal to start him now with. Especially if he has OCD type of tendencies. Later in life it'd get him popular with the ladies, gymnastics or figure skating. If he can handle the social aspect of those sports (really not too much for figure skating, maybe more for gymnastics) he'd be OK. They're hard, but teach tenacity and discipline, without being, you know, drill sergeanty about it. Teaches not to quit, to concentrate on achieving things, etc. I wish my parents signed me up for gymnastics or skating as a kid. Now I'm 21 and trying figure skating as an adult, and it'd have been much easier if I could do it as a kid, I'd be at a lot higher level than now. I don't mean against telling you he should try a variety of sports, but at the same time, he should be encouraged to "stick" to something. That is one of my bigger issues in life, and to be fair some of my not "sticking" with things is due to others. For example, as a kid I loved judo, liked hockey, had like 2-3 years in judo, but my mother couldn't pay for classes anymore so I had to quit. In life I get "close" to things and end up quitting a lot of times out of sheer lack of resources, and it's sad.
Anyway, if you want something he can do at home, buy him some weights. For real. No, he won't stunt his growth unless he fractures a growth plate, which is more likely to happen in like, playing soccer or something. Or unless he doesn't eat a lot and doesn't eat a lot when lifting. You could even sign him up for Olympic style weightlifting or powerlifting. In foreign countries, their lifters start really young, too, but usually with a variety of activities (gymnastics and stuff too with lifting.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A-m9W-3_9M If you can find a coach who'd take him on early like that, he could be a real beast by the time he gets older. Olympic style weightlifting is a really technique and detail oriented sport, too. But if you got him a little standard bar to mess around with, or just some dumbbells even, he might find it fun and it'd be a way for him to burn some energy off. I had a little standard bar my dad got me, and a punching bag at around 10 years old also. I'd mess around with it a lot as a kid.
Does he enjoy bike riding or rollerblading at all? Those are fun. It's winter, though.
Martial arts is an idea, I found it socially nice as a kid. I liked judo a lot. As I said, I'd have continued it much much longer if my parents didn't divorce and my mother could pay for it.
Besides physical activities, does he ever take apart anything? Find him some old bicycles to work on, a lawnmower to take apart, or old electronics. Have him learn how things work hands on. I took apart all kinds of stuff as a kid. My dad encouraged it. I think the first thing I took apart was a clock at like age 4. This would cost you nothing really, just find old electronics or things like that in the trash. Obviously make sure he doesn't like, plug the electronics in or something like that while he's working on them, but I wouldn't say it's terribly risky. I got more cuts on my hands from doing model kits (maybe he'd enjoy that, too?) than taking apart stuff. Now taking apart things and repairing them is much easier thanks to the internet. If he takes apart stuff or wants to try fixing things, he's got the internet at his disposal, and can use it to research boring schematics instead of playing games. Has he ever tried cooking? Teach him to cook stuff. Tell him anything he eats in a restaurant, he can make at home for cheaper whenever he wants if he learns to cook it. I dunno if he can reach the stove at 8, though. Hmm...
Those are my suggestions.
27 Jan 2013, 3:28 pm
