Son wants to try out for cheerleading.

[Anonymous]

Everyone is also thinking of this from the perspective that girl cheerleaders are desirable people to spend time with. Ick .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is also thinking of this from the perspective that girl cheerleaders are desirable people to spend time with. Ick .

Haha! Exactly. As I teenage girl I wouldn't have thought male cheerleaders were gay so much as self-centered douchebags like their female counterparts. But that's just me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is thinking about this from the perspective of mature, enlightened adults. The perspective of your sons peers may not be quite the same. As one PP said, as long as your DS goes into it knowing he may have to deal with some guff from the other guys, then why not let him try it out. Your DH, on the other hand, is thinking like a teenage boy which may give you an idea of what issues your son may face.

And the son is free to point out to the guys teasing him are spending lots of time in locker rooms with sweaty guys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is thinking about this from the perspective of mature, enlightened adults. The perspective of your sons peers may not be quite the same. As one PP said, as long as your DS goes into it knowing he may have to deal with some guff from the other guys, then why not let him try it out. Your DH, on the other hand, is thinking like a teenage boy which may give you an idea of what issues your son may face.

I don't think you want to raise your kids to be shallow conformists in the hope that they fit in and don't get bullied. Whatever happened to building character, integrity and personality?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is thinking about this from the perspective of mature, enlightened adults. The perspective of your sons peers may not be quite the same. As one PP said, as long as your DS goes into it knowing he may have to deal with some guff from the other guys, then why not let him try it out. Your DH, on the other hand, is thinking like a teenage boy which may give you an idea of what issues your son may face.

And the son is free to point out to the guys teasing him are spending lots of time in locker rooms with sweaty guys.

I don't think this will help. Nothing will get insecure boys angrier than inferring they are gay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is also thinking of this from the perspective that girl cheerleaders are desirable people to spend time with. Ick .

Agreed. It hurts my head to think about spending time with cheerleaders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is also thinking of this from the perspective that girl cheerleaders are desirable people to spend time with. Ick .

Agreed. It hurts my head to think about spending time with cheerleaders.

PP here. Was afraid to see what responses this might receive but glad to see other like-minded folks here! I can't think of a less interesting person to have to talk to at a cocktail party than a former cheerleader.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is thinking about this from the perspective of mature, enlightened adults. The perspective of your sons peers may not be quite the same. As one PP said, as long as your DS goes into it knowing he may have to deal with some guff from the other guys, then why not let him try it out. Your DH, on the other hand, is thinking like a teenage boy which may give you an idea of what issues your son may face.

I don't think you want to raise your kids to be shallow conformists in the hope that they fit in and don't get bullied. Whatever happened to building character, integrity and personality?

I think there's a lot of kids who have been bullied that would disagree with your notion that it was a character building experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is also thinking of this from the perspective that girl cheerleaders are desirable people to spend time with. Ick .

Agreed. It hurts my head to think about spending time with cheerleaders.

PP here. Was afraid to see what responses this might receive but glad to see other like-minded folks here! I can't think of a less interesting person to have to talk to at a cocktail party than a former cheerleader.

Hey I call foul! My mom cheered for OSU and I happen to think she's wonderful person!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is thinking about this from the perspective of mature, enlightened adults. The perspective of your sons peers may not be quite the same. As one PP said, as long as your DS goes into it knowing he may have to deal with some guff from the other guys, then why not let him try it out. Your DH, on the other hand, is thinking like a teenage boy which may give you an idea of what issues your son may face.

I don't think you want to raise your kids to be shallow conformists in the hope that they fit in and don't get bullied. Whatever happened to building character, integrity and personality?

I think there's a lot of kids who have been bullied that would disagree with your notion that it was a character building experience.

Nobody is condoning bullying, but going with the herd to try to fit in is pathetic. Better to live on your feet than die on your knees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is also thinking of this from the perspective that girl cheerleaders are desirable people to spend time with. Ick .

Agreed. It hurts my head to think about spending time with cheerleaders.

PP here. Was afraid to see what responses this might receive but glad to see other like-minded folks here! I can't think of a less interesting person to have to talk to at a cocktail party than a former cheerleader.

Hey I call foul! My mom cheered for OSU and I happen to think she's wonderful person!

Does that mean your dad is a rich, creepy old guy who also happens to be an asshole?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is thinking about this from the perspective of mature, enlightened adults. The perspective of your sons peers may not be quite the same. As one PP said, as long as your DS goes into it knowing he may have to deal with some guff from the other guys, then why not let him try it out. Your DH, on the other hand, is thinking like a teenage boy which may give you an idea of what issues your son may face.

I don't think you want to raise your kids to be shallow conformists in the hope that they fit in and don't get bullied. Whatever happened to building character, integrity and personality?

I think there's a lot of kids who have been bullied that would disagree with your notion that it was a character building experience.

Nobody is condoning bullying, but going with the herd to try to fit in is pathetic. Better to live on your feet than die on your knees.

Your pithy quotes are meaningless. Tell that to the families of Sarah Lynn Butler, Tyler Clementi, Ryan Halligan, Jessica Logan, Grace McComas, Rachael Neblett, Phoebe Prince, Hannah Smith, Amanda Todd, Kenneth Weishuhn Jr., Hope Witsell and many others. No one said go with the herd. The PP said to consider the peer's point of view which is not as mature and fully formed as most adults.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is also thinking of this from the perspective that girl cheerleaders are desirable people to spend time with. Ick .

Agreed. It hurts my head to think about spending time with cheerleaders.

PP here. Was afraid to see what responses this might receive but glad to see other like-minded folks here! I can't think of a less interesting person to have to talk to at a cocktail party than a former cheerleader.

Hey I call foul! My mom cheered for OSU and I happen to think she's wonderful person!

I'm sure she's a wonderful mom. I'm sure her conversation skills are football, Pom-poms and hairspray.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is also thinking of this from the perspective that girl cheerleaders are desirable people to spend time with. Ick .

Agreed. It hurts my head to think about spending time with cheerleaders.

PP here. Was afraid to see what responses this might receive but glad to see other like-minded folks here! I can't think of a less interesting person to have to talk to at a cocktail party than a former cheerleader.

Hey I call foul! My mom cheered for OSU and I happen to think she's wonderful person!

Does that mean your dad is a rich, creepy old guy who also happens to be an asshole?

No actually he's a few younger than her and does a lot of volunteering. Amazingly enough, she married him for love and not because he was loaded.

I'm sure she's a wonderful mom. I'm sure her conversation skills are football, Pom-poms and hairspray.

Sorry, my mom can converse on a lot of topics. She does art restoration for a living and is well traveled; she's far more interesting to talk to than the typical white collar drone.

Anywho, input from harpy #1 and harpy #2 aside, I would ask OP what your DS's athletic background up to this point is. From what I've seen most cheerleaders now (male and female) have pretty extensive gymnastics experience. It would probably behoove him to find a good gymnastics gym and start working on his tumbling skills now if he hasn't already.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:George W Bush was a cheerleader.

Here's a pretty good list of male cheerleaders

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/19/famous-male-cheerleaders_n_1362546.html#s792459&title=Jimmy_Stewart

Jimmy Stewart and George H. W. Bush were legit WW2 heroes, and I wouldn't exactly call Samuel Jackson a pansy