In the good ol’ days, Kentucky parents became concerned if their son did not want to try out for the football team. Was there something wrong with him? Fathers, in particular, might have considered their sons odd if they did not want to be jocks; they might pressure their boys to try out.
Now we know that even one concussion can cause irreversible damage to that young brain. Is jock popularity worth the possible loss of brain tissue?
Weighing the Alternatives
We repeatedly hear in the media that there is an obesity epidemic in this country. We need to keep moving! And we are falling down on our jobs as parents if we don’t make sure that our kids eat healthy and exercise—what is it, one hour a day?
So our children need exercise, but they shouldn’t be participating in contact sports because of the potential for brain injury. What to do….
- Take them to the gym? That can be pricey.
- Enroll them in fitness classes? Possibly.
- Encourage them to start jogging? But then there’s the potential for knee injury….
- Buy some exercise equipment and stick it in the basement (only to have it collect dust)?
- Have them join the community swim team? Swimming is supposed to be one of the best exercises, using the entire body and putting little stress on joints.
What if they really want to go out for football? (Sigh.) Are you going to say no? Probably not. You’ll drum into them how dangerous it is, and when they give you the “Oh, Dad, please?” you’ll give in. You’ll make sure that the coach is a safety nut, threaten to cut your son out of your will if he so much as looks as if he is going helmet-to-helmet, and pray.
What else can you do?
If you need a Kentucky brain injury lawyer, call Gray and White Law at 502-210-8942 or toll free at 888-450-4456 to set up a FREE, no-obligation consultation.