Mums/Dads forcing their Kids to surf..?

Dunno about any evidence that there's a plague of parents 'forcing' kids to surf. I reckon there's a ten-fold more Soccer Mums than Surfers Mums per given region. How about tennis? Piano lessons? Karate? 

Jeez, come to Japan. I don't know when those poor little buggers sleep. Most go to school on the weekends or what's called 'Juku' which are cram schools. I feel sorry for Japanese kids, leisure is a very rare commodity in their lives.

I see very few kids learning to surf here. In a way, I think surfing is kind of dying out. Us oldies are definitely in the majority. In my area anyway.

Longtime Swellnet contributor welly wrote:

Just on a side note, my Mum and Dad never surfed or forced things down my throat...I found surfing myself and experienced the ride on my own doings.

Same experience for me Welly. For me, surfing's allure was that parents weren't around and that we could do whatever we wanted. Surfing represented something that had enormous appeal, and as soon as I could I ditched all organised sport and just surfed. Didn't want to join boardrider's clubs, they just seemed an extension of cricket, footy, and soccer, where grown ups were around and kept the order.

Now I've got three boys and I'm torn between guiding them towards surfing - cos if I'm honest I'd dearly love to surf with them when they're older - and having them go off and find their own space away from my parental influence. Deep down I know that the healthiest thing is for them to find something, anything, that appeals to them the same way that surfing appealled to me.

But, like I said, I hope that that something is surfing, and if it means in a few years the crowd increases by three then everyone will just have to deal with it!

i don't think you can force any leisure activity on kids .they either like it or they don't.got my son into basketball and surfing and and he ditched them both for grid iron and brazilian jui jitsu which he excelled at.i didn't really care as long as he was doing something he loved.

Its pretty bad where i live every surfer parent even non surfer parents are getting their young kids into surfing, the board riders even have a special program called super grooms that is hugely popular.

I guess i can't blame them, i only have one kid a girl 1 year old and I'm already getting her on the skatey just so she gets use to the motion and so far she loves it.

Me, when i grew up in the same area there was no serious surfers my age only guys slighty older a few guy my age surfed but was more a summer thing and they never got right into it, i can thank my old man though he basically bought me a board and took me surfing.

Yeah, me too Stu .. would live to share waves with my gidget.

She's been indoctrinated into surfing since, well before she could walk. As a toddler we'd play in the shorey, and she loved getting smashed by the waves. For a kid who is generally risk averse, she loves the waves, handles a good wipeout and comes up smiling.

That said, she's now 10 and while interested in surfing is not gripped by it ... she loves water and waves, but a bit spooked still from a few wipeouts with a board a couple of years back. Loves body surfing though. So, intime, she may find the passion again, it's up to her, but there is the very frequent prompt for me ;)

Crowds due to parents ... Hahahaaaa, how many of the kids you surfed with still surf today?

my three kids had a go at surfing and just weren't into it and I am, in a way, happy with that as surfing is 'me' time. It's when I get to do what i want when I want, sometimes by myself and sometimes with mates but it always gives me a break from the wife and kids.

I know someone who bought their 4 year old a custom board which is totally over the top

But, I agree with Ben, most of the pushy parents that I see are pushing their kids into league and soccer

I had my first surf at the Point the other day with my daughter. She was into it and then not and now is really keen. Watching her get a head high freight train was a total buzz, one of the highlights of my surfing life.

my take on it is like this: I don't care if my daughter learns to surf or not, she is free to do what inspires her. but if she doesn't like the beach... she's gunna have a tough trot!

Yeah, most of my mates still surf, 2 out of the 3 of them.

Yeah, southy doesn't surf anymore,
But he gives good weather.

lol...
Son...... If you don't get barreled in the next set, I'm killing your guinea pig.....

V funny sheepo .
It was the pet fox terrier at my place . Prick was going to make me pull the trigger too !
Though once you've done it once at early age it becomes second nature .
Stop the scandalous rumours Shaun .
Rumours of my death are mere Chinese whispers , and grossly over the top .
And like other whispers of last Saturday , they shall remain . Isn't that right Goofy ,
Those sort of waves are to die for .
Posting shit like that won't get me posting proof in these walls ,
Let's just say that you can you have your head dips in front of cameras " praying " to the Rock anyday .
Tunnel vision is much more exciting . Son ;-)

Very cryptic once again Southey..
What is "the rock"??!

And head dips??
Or were you not talking to me?!
Never do know with you..

Ps. See you there Sunday ;)
Turn those location services off when you take the photos next time hey ;/

Generally Southy just mumbles to himself Goofy.

Yes with a bit of digging I've found his instagram account

Goofy , don't worry I wasn't referencing u .
Shauno was referencing that if it's not on Swellnet
Then it didn't happen . ( as his image was inadvertently splashed
On these walls praying at his alter ).
I'm so paranoid I even save false passwords onto my
Phone just in case I lose it .
As for Instagram I'm too old to have worked out its purpose !
Not sure on your Sunday call , I would have thought sat. Would be good to
Go long , and Sunday will be spots you won't find / know .
PS banks change by the hour in that region.
Although I will say I did see a certain right going unsurfed that
Was starting to look near EPIC which either means it was about turn on
Or had just fine so. Infact I reckon with the patterns we've had since that it will be
Right city next time the swell dips .

"Sunday will be spots you won't find/know"
Haha yeah maybe for the spots your thinking of, but that's a big call!
A. It's a bloody long coastline
B. It's gunna be solid and offshore, waves everywhere
C. I've been surfing longer than 6 months..

I'll be surfing a break starting with C in bay with 5 other C's.
Southy will have figured it out :-)))

I must say the pink camel toe in the top right corner of my page is quite distracting .
Yes Shaun good time for it , a little cold down there at night though . I heard you at the first time you dropped hints , just don't wan't to draw attention to it . Especially after all that travel got you less qual. waves .
Goofy if you knew where to go you would more often . ;-)
It's a paradox sometimes , too much swell /good winds or swell too small winds shifty .

Anywhere is generaly better than Vicco southy cept Gippsland of course

I don't really teach my kids to surf, I just give them the opportunity and keep an eye on them.

Surfing's perceived context is different now, it's just another sport now it seems.

Are you aware that Roy us a holocaust denier? Please do not reply to any of his posts.

Out of line BB

Are you aware that Roy us a holocaust denier? Please do not reply to any of his posts.

Are you aware that Roy us a holocaust denier? Please do not reply to any of his posts.

udo wrote:

Out of line BB

hmm spilt any altar boys lately udo?

Roy Stuart wrote:

is that you Roy..wow??

brutus wrote:

Roy Stuart wrote:

is that you Roy..wow??

My cousin.

I doubt whether any mum or dad is forcing their kids. I reckon the kids are forcing their mums and dads to take them down the beach. Smart kids, nowadays.

free surf with my 7 yr old today after his basketball , 2 team members doing a paid surfgroms at same beach and break seriously funny.

so many parents fill their kids days with paid activities, enough said.