Miss F is growing up into a very lovely young lady who is everything I would want in a daughter – kind, caring, happy and loving (unless she’s mid pre-teen hormonal mood). She’s turned into quite a girly girl who loves clothes, make up and most other things that you would expect a 12 year old girl to be into.
Except for one thing! She’s decided that she would like to join the local boxing club and although I’m not going to say no, I really don’t want her to go.
It’s not because I don’t like boxing because as much as I don’t like the sport itself, I know it will be good for her in many ways. It’s great for keeping fit and let’s face it, in a few years time when she’s going out with her friends, I’ll no doubt be glad if she can throw a well aimed punch to defend herself if ever she needed to.
She’s taken much more of an interest in exercise since she started senior school. In fact, she’s gone from thinking she was going to die during a cross country run last June to going swimming and even to the gym. Although to be fair, her gym sessions seem to consist more of a gentle pedal on the exercise bikes while she plays on her phone – I’m sure she beat her high score at Flappy Bird last time she went!
I don’t mind the cost of the club as it’s only £1.50 a week and I usually encourage her to do things out of school usually as I think it’s good for children to try new things. The boxing club is near to where we live and it’s on a night when we don’t do anything else so in theory, there should be no reason why I don’t want her to go.
My problem is that she’s a girl and I don’t want her to go to Boxing full stop. I don’t want her going to such a male oriented club and learning to hit people and even more importantly, I don’t want her getting hit!
I know there are some great role model female boxers and I know it’s wrong that I’m happy for her brother to go along and try it and not her but I just can’t persuade myself to feel any enthusiasm for this new club. For the first time ever, when she goes to a club or tries something new, I’ll be hoping that she decides it’s not for her and doesn’t want to go back.
That makes me sexist, right?
Discover more from The Diary of a Frugal Family
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Thank you for sharing your post with the #pinitparty
I think I'd be the same. Maybe try as MummyCentral suggests and look at martial arts, which is more about defence, discipline and control, than attacking and trying to beat someone with boxing?
I really understand this. But maybe if this is something that she really want…
No, I don't think it does. I think it makes you a concerned Mum more than anything. I felt the same about my son doing Rugby simply because I don't want him to smash up his beautiful face! 😀
I can imagine how you're feeling. Is it sexist? Probably. But I don't think that can be helped sometimes. Could you comprimise and find a martial art with less contact where she could get fit, learn to defend herself – but have less chance of getting her lights knocked out?
I can imagine how you're feeling. Is it sexist? Probably. But I'm going to be controversial and say that I don't think we can treat boys and girls completely equally. We can try to be open-minded and let them try things. But aside from the fact you don't want your girl getting hit, not everyone approves of boxing. Could you comprimise by finding a martial art where she could practise combat but with less chance of getting her lights knocked out?
Whilst I don't agree with boxing I do agree that she should be able to try a new sport if she wants too. As a mum to a girl I don't like the idea of her getting into a violent sport and possibly getting hurt, if it was a non contact i.e. not actually boxing others I think I would be more keen. Maybe attend the first few classes with her to see what happens.
I get it. Yes, maybe you are being sexist. But I’m going to be controversial here and say I don’t think we CAN be totally equal with our boys and girls. Aside from the fact I wouldn’t want my boys to box either, I think it’s inevitable that anyone would worry a bit more about the prospect of a female being punched.
Ooooh – tricky one. As a female engineer I really try to think that there's no such thing as boys thing and girls things, but I don't really like boxing as a sport anyway as I fail to see past some of the aggression and violence. And I don't think aggression and violence are right for anyone – boys or girls. I'm honestly not sure how I'd feel though if my daughter wanted to take up the sport…
I actually agree with Jane I wouldn't want either of my kids boxing hurting other people is not nice. and honestly Cass I think if your little lad wanted to go you would feel just the same so i dont think its sexist love x
I totally get it. I wouldn't want my son to box either. They sell it on promoting health and confidence but at the end of the day, they are promoting and teaching fighting. Whether boy or girl, I don't like it either.