So, i am stuck here at work with paperwork to do but have some time do other things as there are no kids here at school. One thing that i commented on a blog of mine was about how my fiancee mentioned she would let our kids decide who they support in NRL, while i said no they are supporting Parramatta from birth. Now she has given in and accepted that i can do as i please considering how passionate i am with NRL. I know a lot of families with both ends, a whole family support the same team, a family of 4 who support different teams. I was brought up, with my brother, an Eels fan of course from birth with my dad. My mum's adopted father supported Parramatta ealier on then dropped off the game so she did not really support them as much instead supported Manly in high school due to her love for Phil Blake (girls loved him apparently). But now she supports Parramatta as being a semi fan of NRL my mother watches it in the background but keeps up to date somewhat as she watches all the shows like NRL 360 and listens to the CCT on 2GB has for years, but living in a house with 2 boys and a husband who watches footy every weekend it is hard to support someone else.
My Fiancee support Bulldogs, half her family are Parra and Canterbury, she is on the Canterbury side, her brother on the other supports St. George for some unknown reason. That is the example of letting kids support who they want.
Basically what i want to know from some here is how did you go about with your kids supporting NRL? I am of the mindset of i want them to be Parramatta, but if they get older and support someone else then what can i do however i would want them to stick with that team through thick and thin as that is what i believe in as a sports fan, you support your team no matter what and that is in life also.
Did anyone succeed in having their children support the Eels? Anyone try and fail as they supported someone else or didn't like footy all together? Did you not care who they supported?
Replies
LB, I have two boys (12 and 14). My wife supports the Roosters, but she is not a passionate supporter like me. She made some noise early on about one being Roosters and one being Eels, but it never went anywhere because I basically just said they are Eels supporters or we are putting them out for adoption (joking). The 14yr old loves it, the 12yr old could take it or leave it, I just don't think he's into it as much as us.
The way I see it, if you are an Eels supporter and you have a child, that child will also be an Eels supporter. Anything else would be akin to child abuse. Image letting your child decide and they picked Storm?
Nice reply MeelK, thank you. Yeah i usually feel if they are not into footy by a certain age they probably wont be at all and that is fine, if i have two boys and they do not like footy then so be it, rather that then have to watch a game between say Eels v Panthers and my son supports Penrith and hear the bickering and that haha.
I agree though, if you watch footy constantly your children will get exposed to it and grow as you did, i was exposed early in 2001 my dad took my brother and i to games and i didn't care for it as i was only 5 at the time and used to play around the stairs and that, bit of brat to be fair haha (wish i did with the year they had, but i went cause my mum did nightshift and nobody to look after me, then in 2002 i was a year older and my brother was sick and my mum said to my dad to take me, dad said im not into it yet and mum said well it will be the first time you have him by yourself at a game teach him it and see if it is better with him plus rather get money's worth on the tickets. I went and dad sat me down and said now watch and see if you like it i will tell what is going on, from then i was hooked as i actually sat watched what was going on.
What made me an Eel was constantly going to their games from a young age, by the time i was old enough to have my own thoughts i was so used to supporting Parra i couldn't change if i wanted too. My kids will be the same as i will take them to games from a young age, if they love it then great, if they do not then that is fine also i will show them other sports or interests to see what they like and join in that too.
I even said the same thing in my Dad's Eulogy, that he made us Eels and sat us down to watch every game to which to day is considered a form of child abuse haha. I wont lie, if my son said i hate the Eels i want to support someone else, i wouldn't be mad but would talk to them hahah.
Both my boys are Eels supporters. I never gave them another option. Early on they'd come home from school and say they supported Dragons or Tigers because either a friend said so or they liked the mascot but I merely dismissed that and said "you're Eels supporters".
I buy the merch, the season tickets, the memberships and I take them to games. They both now support the Eels although my eldest isn't really into NRL much but he definitely doesn't support anyone else.
If you want your kids to support your team you need to give them no other option. But that means getting them the gear, taking them to games and getting them involved. It's work but it's a lifelong family tradition.
I have mates whose kids have gone on to support other sides for no reason and it kills them. But they never put the work in when they were younger. Kids are invariably going to support some NRL side. As parents it's our duty to make sure that side is the Eels.
"Kids are invariably going to support some NRL side. As parents it's our duty to make sure that side is the Eels."
Lol Muttman, love it.
My dad was a die hard St George supporter, but I was brought up on the border between Parra/Panthers territory. When I was a kid my dads work gifted him a signed Parra ball with all the 80's greats signatures on it...he didn't want it so gave it to me.
Little did he know that one simple act during my formative years created a rusted on Parra supporter.
We always shared banter on the different teams - it was probably MORE fun because we supported different teams. Don't have kids myself so can't comment on that, but I'm sure glad my dad let me take my own path.
I have a 2 year old. He hasn't had a choice. He was in an Eels onesie as soon as I could get him in one. He's begun walking around the house with an Eels flag, says he likes Eels. It's brainwashing my friend.
2? Have you had an Eels emblem and our premiership years tattooed on his arm yet? If you haven't you're not serious.
Kram when their little i sit by their cot and whisper parra parra parra . So they haven't much of a choice .poor little buggers
You're an evil man Hec!! :))
So I've been told bud . But i like it
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