My boys (1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade) start wrestling tomorrow. DH and I both have mixed emotions about this. The older two took wrestling at our old school, but it was totally different. It was non-competitive, workshop type thing. The few times my oldest did actually wrestle someone, he would forget everything he learned and basically let the other kid beat the crap outta him. This wrestling team that they are joining is highly competitive, they do lots of tournament and such. I remember going to my cousins little boys tournamets when he was a preschooler and all the little kids would be crying and I thought how terrible!! Now my babies are doing it! (They do have preschool wrestling here, but I refuse to sign my preschooler up!) They want to do it, and it is great because they are getting involved in a new community, but I don't want them to get hurt or be pressured to succeed. Oh, I don't know!!! I am so confused!!!

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~Happiness is a large family~

My 12 yo was wrestling back in 2005. He wasn't sure if he wanted to stay with it, so we didn't pressure him. He thinks he wants to get back into it, but unfortunately the season coincides with indoor track season. And as my user name implies, we are a track family so the wrestling has been put on hold. He tried juggling the 2 sports and it's hard for me to watch my kids be torn between 2 different activities that they really want to participate in and try to fit them both in.

He did enjoy the workouts and he competed in 2 meets that no matter how you did you get a trophy, so he's pretty proud of his trophies. I was a very concerned about him getting hurt, it was on my mind the whole season. It was a drag for me sitting through his practices, though. A lot of sweaty boys and coaches, male bonding and such. Too much testosterone in the gym for me.

My son is on his high school wrestling team and loves it. Now he just started, he hasn't always done this, so I am sorry that I can't help you with the age part of it. Yours are much younger than mine. But I say, if they want to do it, let them. They can't get too banged up...they are wrestling kids that are the same weight. It is not like they pair the big kids up with the little kids. Know what I mean??

I will also add that my ds had to wrestle a girl. One of the high school that they had a meet with had two girl wrestlers. He won, but felt like he was in a no win situation....if he lost he got beat by a girl and if he won, he 'beat up' a girl. LOL. He did hurt her arm because they got tangled up at one point but she was ok to continue....maybe that's why he won..LOL.

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I've grown certain that the root of all fear is that we've been forced to deny who we are. ~ Frances Moore Lappe

Well, they had their first practice last night and they liked it. They were totally tired by the time it was over though because they also had taekwando yesterday. My 8 yr old was afraid to go out on the mat with the large group of 1st and 2nd graders even though his brother was out there. So I actually took him by the had and walked him over there by his brother and left him there and went to get their tournament singlets. When I came back into the room he was wrestling like everyone else. My older son looked tiny in the 3rd to 6th grade group!! And he is my only child that is not considered small for his age!!! I had one pair of wrestling shoes that fit my 6 yr old and I just won a pair on Ebay for the older one, I still have to get one for the middle kid. There are some up on Ebay tomorrow I hope I can win. I do think it will be good for them

Also, I was having a nice conversation with a dad who was giving me tips on living in this new town we are in!!! Yeah! Adult interaction!

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~Happiness is a large family~