Competition with Football Watching Dads Might Equal: Football Orphans!

Most dads really enjoy the football season. It’s just a given that many are simply glued to the TV set for hours fueling a strong competition for family time.

Here are a few tips to help balance family and football games:

#1. Keep your rituals. Regardless of which football game is on, if you have a weekly or daily ritual with your children, keep it. Let them know that a football game will never be as important as they are.

#2. Tape the game and watch it later. Although this may appear harder to do than it really turns out, by tapping the game, it can be watched the very same day as soon as the kids go to bed. This ends the dilemma of the Football Orphans and restores peace in the home.

#3. Ask permission to switch out an activity. If your child is between the age of 6 to 12, ask if a specifically planned activity can be switched. If the child shows disappointment in the request, accept it and move forward without harboring ill feelings.

#4. Make the football game a family TV night. Ask each family member to write down at least two choices on what to watch on family TV night. Then allow each one to vote on the choices. Who knows, the football game might win.

#5. Switch out a planned activity with your spouse. If as a dad you normally take your child to a specified activity on Monday nights, ask the child if mom can substitute in your place for this one time. If the child agrees, you’re free to watch the game. However, don’t make this a regular habit and don’t suggest the switch again for at least one month.

While some of these seem to be more proactive towards allowing dads to watch their favorite teams, as long as the family is in agreement with the changes, and the experience is positive, it’s not going to hurt the relationships. However, taping the game and watching it after the kids go to bed seems to be the most popular choice, as well as the more positive.

©2006 Jodie Lynn