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Hut, Hut, But...
Tackling Football with Your Toddler
By I.J. Schecter
Second, though of course you'd like your child to know every nuance of the game by the time he's 5, follow his lead. He'll be a stat-head soon enough; for now, just enjoy his wonderment at the huge stadium, the throngs of cheering fans, the pictures on the scoreboard and the cheerleaders' pompoms. Instead of trying to divert his attention from asking questions ("Daddy, how does that blimp fly?"), engage him in the conversations he wants to have. You can keep one eye on the field and still satisfy your child's interest in learning about the world around him.
Third, if you want to take your newborn or infant to the game, good for you – it's even easier, provided you're willing to learn how to adjust the baby harness to fit your body. The baby will be perfectly happy just to hang out on your chest even as you're hollering at the coach about his offensive scheme. Just try not to spill your soft drink on the baby's head. And you might want to avoid games in Buffalo or Green Bay in February.
Here's an exercise: Buy a mini football at some point before next Sunday. When Sunday arrives, watch 30 minutes of an NFL game. Then turn off the TV, grab the mini football, take your toddler outside and play catch with him for 30 minutes. Tackle him, roll around on the grass, throw him up and down in the air, teach him how to place his hands along the laces and take turns snapping the ball to each other using funny counts.
Go inside and make a fruit shake or hot chocolate, then enjoy it together while chatting about whatever in the universe he feels like chatting about. Later, after he's in bed, send me a note and tell me which half-hour was more fun. Chances are you'll feel the way dad David Fabian does. "Nothing in the world gives me more pleasure than playing catch with my son, Matthew," says Fabian, of Toronto, Canada. "When we're throwing a ball back and forth, watching a game on TV is the farthest thing from my mind."
