Help me with this sports-watching question...

[Anonymous]

DH and our older DSs love watching football. They don't watch too much, but at least one game a weekend.

We have a younger daughter who doesn't seem to share that love (I don't either). I would love if DH would include her in this activity. He tries, but sort of half-heartedly, probably because our sons already know the rules and DD doesn't yet. She's 4.

Our default the past few weeks has been for her to watch something upstairs while I read or putter around.

But it feels like the guys are doing a bonding activity, while we are just biding time until they're done.

What are some hobbies or things you do with your younger kids inside and in bad weather? Yeah, she should play on her own, but since the others are watching tv, she wants to as well. I need more structured options.

And, anyone else with this dynamic have any general thoughts? I don't love sports, but I thought my daughter would, since the rest of my family does. I don't want it to be a boy-girl thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH and our older DSs love watching football. They don't watch too much, but at least one game a weekend.

We have a younger daughter who doesn't seem to share that love (I don't either). I would love if DH would include her in this activity. He tries, but sort of half-heartedly, probably because our sons already know the rules and DD doesn't yet. She's 4.

Our default the past few weeks has been for her to watch something upstairs while I read or putter around.

But it feels like the guys are doing a bonding activity, while we are just biding time until they're done.

What are some hobbies or things you do with your younger kids inside and in bad weather? Yeah, she should play on her own, but since the others are watching tv, she wants to as well. I need more structured options.

And, anyone else with this dynamic have any general thoughts? I don't love sports, but I thought my daughter would, since the rest of my family does. I don't want it to be a boy-girl thing.

Learn the rules and make it a family thing. Sit there and do a puzzle if you have to. Otherwise, the mom/dad divide added to the societal norm = boy-girl thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH and our older DSs love watching football. They don't watch too much, but at least one game a weekend.

We have a younger daughter who doesn't seem to share that love (I don't either). I would love if DH would include her in this activity. He tries, but sort of half-heartedly, probably because our sons already know the rules and DD doesn't yet. She's 4.

Our default the past few weeks has been for her to watch something upstairs while I read or putter around.

But it feels like the guys are doing a bonding activity, while we are just biding time until they're done.

What are some hobbies or things you do with your younger kids inside and in bad weather? Yeah, she should play on her own, but since the others are watching tv, she wants to as well. I need more structured options.

And, anyone else with this dynamic have any general thoughts? I don't love sports, but I thought my daughter would, since the rest of my family does. I don't want it to be a boy-girl thing.

Learn the rules and make it a family thing. Sit there and do a puzzle if you have to. Otherwise, the mom/dad divide added to the societal norm = boy-girl thing.

I do know the rules, and I'm totally willing to sit there and do something else and act excited when I have to. But it's not enough to keep her interest, so she wants to watch something else. And it seems if we both aren't that into it, we should at least do something else productive?

[Anonymous]

There is nothing wrong with dad and son having a bonding activity that is just them. Nothing.

If she doesn't like football there is no reason to force your husband to include her in their father son moment. He shouldn't actively exclude her, but don't nag or guilt him into including her, especially if she is not currently interested.

He should figure out something they can do together. Maybe they do the donut run on Sunday after Mass. Or perhaps he can make tents with her or take her fishing. Or maybe he gets to have a weekly fairy princess tea party with her.

Let them create their own separate moment. It does not have to be football.

[Anonymous]

Have Mom/daughter time. What’s wrong with that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH and our older DSs love watching football. They don't watch too much, but at least one game a weekend.

We have a younger daughter who doesn't seem to share that love (I don't either). I would love if DH would include her in this activity. He tries, but sort of half-heartedly, probably because our sons already know the rules and DD doesn't yet. She's 4.

Our default the past few weeks has been for her to watch something upstairs while I read or putter around.

But it feels like the guys are doing a bonding activity, while we are just biding time until they're done.

What are some hobbies or things you do with your younger kids inside and in bad weather? Yeah, she should play on her own, but since the others are watching tv, she wants to as well. I need more structured options.

And, anyone else with this dynamic have any general thoughts? I don't love sports, but I thought my daughter would, since the rest of my family does. I don't want it to be a boy-girl thing.

Learn the rules and make it a family thing. Sit there and do a puzzle if you have to. Otherwise, the mom/dad divide added to the societal norm = boy-girl thing.

The bolded is such a silly response.

There is nothing wrong with a father and son bonding over sports.

There is nothing wrong with mom and daughter not really caring about football.

Everything does not need to be a battle of the sexes dcum.

[Anonymous]

I hate football and so does DD. Sometimes we go out by ourselves. Other times we are doing something else in the house. I don’t care if she wants to watch a movie upstairs if I have things to do. My son doesn’t love it and will watch it only if DH has snacks. He is more likely to join us for the upstairs movie or go outside if any friends are around. There is no need to include your DD if she isn’t interested.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH and our older DSs love watching football. They don't watch too much, but at least one game a weekend.

We have a younger daughter who doesn't seem to share that love (I don't either). I would love if DH would include her in this activity. He tries, but sort of half-heartedly, probably because our sons already know the rules and DD doesn't yet. She's 4.

Our default the past few weeks has been for her to watch something upstairs while I read or putter around.

But it feels like the guys are doing a bonding activity, while we are just biding time until they're done.

What are some hobbies or things you do with your younger kids inside and in bad weather? Yeah, she should play on her own, but since the others are watching tv, she wants to as well. I need more structured options.

And, anyone else with this dynamic have any general thoughts? I don't love sports, but I thought my daughter would, since the rest of my family does. I don't want it to be a boy-girl thing.

Learn the rules and make it a family thing. Sit there and do a puzzle if you have to. Otherwise, the mom/dad divide added to the societal norm = boy-girl thing.

The bolded is such a silly response.

There is nothing wrong with a father and son bonding over sports.

There is nothing wrong with mom and daughter not really caring about football.

Everything does not need to be a battle of the sexes dcum.

Agree. It's one game a weekend! It's really ok if you and your daughter prefer to do other things during that time.

[Anonymous]

My whole family was a sports family and while I love playing softball, while my dad and brother were watching baseball I would hang out in the same room but just read a book. I love reading. I know at 4 this may not be a huge thing yet, but it’s a possibility for the future. For the record, my dad would take us to the library every week—so that was usually my once-a-week special outing with my dad.

[Anonymous]

You can play a game or do a puzzle in the same roomnor a different one.

[Anonymous]

This would never fly in my household. We do not sit around watching sports for hours at a time. Why doesn't your husband take ALL the kids outside to play?

[Anonymous]

4 seems kind of young to be interested in sports enough to watch an entire football game. I don't think she'd enjoy it even if she did understand the rules. Does she want to watch football with them? If she does, then obviously, they should include her, even if that means answering "dumb" questions. But if she has no interest, there's no reason to force it.

I have three girls. One of them is into sports and watches lots of baseball and football with DH (I only like to watch local teams, really). The other two have different things they do with DH. Everyone doesn't have to be involved in everything, and if someone isn't involved, it doesn't automatically mean she's being left out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This would never fly in my household. We do not sit around watching sports for hours at a time. Why doesn't your husband take ALL the kids outside to play?

Well aren’t you special, parent of the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH and our older DSs love watching football. They don't watch too much, but at least one game a weekend.

We have a younger daughter who doesn't seem to share that love (I don't either). I would love if DH would include her in this activity. He tries, but sort of half-heartedly, probably because our sons already know the rules and DD doesn't yet. She's 4.

Our default the past few weeks has been for her to watch something upstairs while I read or putter around.

But it feels like the guys are doing a bonding activity, while we are just biding time until they're done.

What are some hobbies or things you do with your younger kids inside and in bad weather? Yeah, she should play on her own, but since the others are watching tv, she wants to as well. I need more structured options.

And, anyone else with this dynamic have any general thoughts? I don't love sports, but I thought my daughter would, since the rest of my family does. I don't want it to be a boy-girl thing.

Learn the rules and make it a family thing. Sit there and do a puzzle if you have to. Otherwise, the mom/dad divide added to the societal norm = boy-girl thing.

The bolded is such a silly response.

There is nothing wrong with a father and son bonding over sports.

There is nothing wrong with mom and daughter not really caring about football.

Everything does not need to be a battle of the sexes dcum.

OP said she didn't want it to be a boy/girl thing.

[froggymom]

It's great that your DH and son can enjoy time together and they should. It's a great time for you to bond with your daughter. There are a whole host of things to do with her:
Read a book together
Watch a movie together
Do crafting together
Go for a walk together
play tea party
Have fun!