It's fair to say that I have never been a sports fan.
Throughout my childhood the very mention of sports day turned me cold. I found myself listening to classmates conversations about football and feeling as though they might as well be talking in a different language for all I understood. I even managed to successfully dodge every single PE lesson at my high school for the entire 5 years I was there - not because I didn't enjoy the exercise, I was actually a very thin teenager believe it or not and was always active - but simply because it was always netball or volleyball, and nothing about those sports interested me at all.
When I met Jon, I was relieved to discover that he also had no interest in sports - I had heard friends complain about their weekends being taken over with their partners sunday football leagues and their TVs always being ruled by whatever football or boxing match was playing, and I couldn't stand the idea of it.
So together we set off on our sports free existence, blissfully unaware of major sporting events without a care for who was winning or losing or what have you..,
I suppose, because our own parents had also shown no interest in sports, we assumed that this was something that was passed down in families and so our own children were likely to have the same disinterest in sports as us.
It seems we were wrong.
For the past year or so, Tyne has shown an avid interest in a variety of sports - football, basketball and rugby have all piqued his interest and he often wants to both watch and play them.
And recently, perhaps because of the focus on Wimbledon, he has been talking nonstop about Tennis!
Although I personally struggle to find enjoyment in sports, if my child shows an interest in something then I of course want to encourage that - so when Tyne began asking me if he could have a tennis set and go the local courts, I agreed straight away.
I wouldn't say I was exactly looking forward to the experience but I went with an open mind - surprisingly given the time of year it is, I struggled to find a children's tennis set so badmington rackets and a tennis ball had to do but Tyne didn't seem to notice - equipped with our rackets we headed off to have our first game, and within minutes I was having a ball (Excuse the pun!)
Watching my son run about attempting to hit the ball, laughing with absolute glee and thoroughly enjoying himself was wonderful - and it was the first time I'd seen his competitive side come out too! He was determined to beat me at the game, the concentration and effort so apparent on his face.
We had a fantastic afternoon together (And an added bonus was how well he slept that night after so much exercise and fresh air!), and the experience has inspired me to encourage his love of sports - tennis in particular - more.
The Great British Tennis Weekend takes place next weekend 16th/17th July and there are thousands of free sessions taking place at clubs across the country including Family sessions and childrens coaching sessions - all equipment is provided and all levels are welcome from absolute beginners to regular players.
You can sign up to take part in the #GBTW here: http://bit.ly/BritMumsLTA
It could make the perfect family weekend activity and it doesn't cost a penny - we're signed up for a family fun session and I know Tyne is going to love it!
Does your little one have any favorite sports? I’m working with the Lawn Tennis Association on their #GBTW campaign. Sign up for your FREE tennis activity here http://bit.ly/BritMumsLTA
If you enjoy my blog, please consider following me on Bloglovin'
