My middle son started begging me to let him play football when he turned 4. Fortunately, the fact that he was too young, according to the rules, worked as a deterrent. 

“Maybe next year,” I said, lying easily.

Next season came and, while the rules said he could play, my personal comfort didn’t. 

Wipe what you’re thinking away. I wasn’t concerned with safety. I had more basic issues to worry about: I had a napping baby at home, and anyone who knows anything knows that you DO NOT mess with nap time!

Also, every day? Do 5 year olds really need to practice every day? 

I was able to push him into soccer for another two years.

Finally, at age 7, I’d run out of excuses. The baby had kicked nap time to the curb; I had accepted that he really, desperately hated playing soccer; and I assumed he’d try football, hate it, and I’d be able to put this thing to bed once and for all.

I just signed him up for his third season. He was the starting center on his team last year, and, if you ask him, he plans to play football until he’s old – like at least 32 or something.

Thinking of signing your little one up this year? 

Here’s five questions to ask yourself before signing your child up for football

Are you comfortable with the cost?Football isn’t cheap. Special shoes, helmets, pads, pads for under your pads, pads to protect your junk and your teeth. You have to support the booster club and the team fundraisers and buy the jersey with your kid’s name on the back. Plus, to make things worth your while, you’ll need a hot dog from the concession stand at the game.

Are you comfortable with the time commitment?Practice every day. Games every weekend. And you will probably have to volunteer. That concession stand doesn’t run itself! Football takes a big space and a lot of people to make it go. You will be one of those people.

Is your team playing the right way?Did your school or league sign up for Heads Up Football, and have your coaches gone through the training? Do they practice Heads Up Tackling? What about equipment care and fitting? These are all questions you need answered to ensure your son is playing in as safe of an environment as possible.

What will you do if he doesn’t like it?Football isn’t for everyone. As a general rule, we consider ourselves finishers. When The Dudes sign up for something – a sport, a class, a day helping Mimi in the yard – they are expected to do their best and finish it all the way. I take a different stance on football because it requires a mental fortitude and determination that not everyone muster. So, what will you do if your little one spends every game crying on the sidelines? Decide in advance how far you intend to push him and yourself.

What will you do if he loves it? Personally, I did not anticipate the level of passion my son would have for football. He loves it to the core of his being, and there is no way I could rip it from him without tearing out a little chunk of his soul. I am a football mom. I’ve decided to embrace that by pouring myself into ensuring that his team has everything it needs to be safe and successful. 

Amanda Rodriguez is a humor and lifestyle blogger at DudeMom.com. In her free time, she enjoys losing weight easily, looking like a soap star the moment she rolls out of bed and riding around town on her unicorn. In addition to having a loose grip on reality, Amanda enjoys traveling to far off lands (or, not so far off lands) with her family and cheering herself hoarse on the sidelines of her sons’ games. The mom behind the blog is a former Teach for Americamiddle school language arts and social studies teacher turned stay-at-home-mom turned graduate student turned professional photographer, freelance writer, pro blogger, Zumba Fitness enthusiast and general director of awesomeness.