How to raise rusted-on children

[Ghost Dog]

Funny article in Theage today.

"But after Sunday’s performance, I cannot but ask myself whether raising three more Demons supporters constitutes some form of cruel and unusual punishment."

Some Bulldogs fans must have experienced this. How do you get your kids to stick with a club that can't climb the ladder for a significant amount of time, or when we lose by big margins / repeatedly?

[Twodogs]

Firstly you don't sell as a "we will always win and everybody gets a prize" for a start. For my family it's easy, if you want to eat, watch TV and participate in all the other aspects of society then you barrack for the Bulldogs. Second you don't present it as a choice. "If you want yiur can barrack for the Bulldogs but there are all these other clubs you might want to think about first" Third, shaming and guilt trips, "you know whatever you guys do I will always love you? You know that, don't you? I will support you in anything you want to do. Unless it's barrack for a club that isn't the Bulldogs. That's the one thing I will never come to terms with, that I will never be able to move past?"

Last of all tell them that being a bulldog supporter is a privilege that not everybody is able to take advantage of. (This is easier if you live near the ground and maybe see a player when you are shopping or getting petrol or something. "Oh look. Is that Tom Campbell coming out of Aldi?"

[Ozza]

While I can understand the article, we've probably all been there as Bulldogs supporters….. but I think at the end of the day – it says more about the writer than the club. Supporting your club and passing it on to your children – is not about premierships.

The article won’t age well.

[Twodogs]

Hang on. How can the writer be a third generation Melbourne supporter when his mum is a Hawthorn supporter?

[Ghost Dog]

When we were kids, we got assigned a team based on the year we were born and who won the flag that year.
That was until you were old enough to choose...haha. My mother, the egalitarian teacher.

[bornadog]

When we were kids, we got assigned a team based on the year we were born and who won the flag that year.
That was until you were old enough to choose...haha. My mother, the egalitarian teacher.

So you are 64 years old?

[The bulldog tragician]

I quite honestly don’t understand letting kids “make a choice.” It really is, this is our team, this is our heritage. Seeing a 4yo kid around our area in a GWS jumper, and his dad casually informing me: well, he liked the colours... I don’t get it.

When my brother whined that he didn’t want to barrack for us anymore my mother informed him he would never go to any other games, get any other jumpers, or get dinner that night. I shared the premiership joy with him several decades later.

[angelopetraglia]

I was very clear to my children. Life is about choices. You can choose whatever team you want to support. However, this is a Bulldog house. If you want to eat the food at this table you have to support the Bulldogs. I just copied this playbook from by Dad

This has worked incredibly well. All our family support the Bulldogs. We have experienced so many moments together as an entire family at the football or things associated with the Bulldogs. I don't understand these parents who have three children who all support different teams. Where's the family unity in that?

I was also very harsh on other influences who attempted to persuade my children to support another team (some were quite serious and showed enormous grit in trying to change them over). If you are willing to take them to the football, week in, week out for the next 20 years then go ahead. If not .... shut the f*&^ up. They stopped after that.

I'm happy that my children are die hard Bulldog fans and being together with my extended family at both the Prelim in Sydney and the MCG Grand Final day was some of the best moments we have enjoyed together. But equally important is the weekly ritual of seeing the extended family at the footy!

Stay strong people.

[Twodogs]

I quite honestly don’t understand letting kids “make a choice.” It really is, this is our team, this is our heritage. Seeing a 4yo kid around our area in a GWS jumper, and his dad casually informing me: well, he liked the colours... I don’t get it.

When my brother whined that he didn’t want to barrack for us anymore my mother informed him he would never go to any other games, get any other jumpers, or get dinner that night. I shared the premiership joy with him several decades later.

The *!*!*!*!? The *!*!*!*!ing colours? Who gives two hoots about the *!*!*!*!ing colours.

For Christ sake Trag, get that kid a bulldogs jumper and then report his parents to Dept of Human Services! *!*!*!*!ing stat!!

[Ghost Dog]

I quite honestly don’t understand letting kids “make a choice.” It really is, this is our team, this is our heritage. Seeing a 4yo kid around our area in a GWS jumper, and his dad casually informing me: well, he liked the colours... I don’t get it.

When my brother whined that he didn’t want to barrack for us anymore my mother informed him he would never go to any other games, get any other jumpers, or get dinner that night. I shared the premiership joy with him several decades later.

Laughed when I read this. I have a mate, two kids of his own, two from another marriage. One is called Luke, after Hodge, the other Todd, after Viney ( real dad is a Melbourne fan ). Now they barrack for Port ( they like the lightning bolt ).

[Ghost Dog]

I was very clear to my children. Life is about choices. You can choose whatever team you want to support. However, this is a Bulldog house. If you want to eat the food at this table you have to support the Bulldogs. I just copied this playbook from by Dad

This has worked incredibly well. All our family support the Bulldogs. We have experienced so many moments together as an entire family at the football or things associated with the Bulldogs. I don't understand these parents who have three children who all support different teams. Where's the family unity in that?

I was also very harsh on other influences who attempted to persuade my children to support another team (some were quite serious and showed enormous grit in trying to change them over). If you are willing to take them to the football, week in, week out for the next 20 years then go ahead. If not .... shut the f*&^ up. They stopped after that.

I'm happy that my children are die hard Bulldog fans and being together with my extended family at both the Prelim in Sydney and the MCG Grand Final day was some of the best moments we have enjoyed together. But equally important is the weekly ritual of seeing the extended family at the footy!

Stay strong people.

I guess it helps that Bulldogs is a very good family club. They do a lot of great community work. Some other clubs do ( North is great, ) but some suck at that stuff ( Geelong. Stingy, lack programs, and take for granted their riding on the back of being the only show in town. ) The vibe is totally different at other clubs. Just read the Bombers Blitz forum! Scary stuff.

[Ghost Dog]

So you are 64 years old?

No way. I was assigned Collingwood haha. Like religion and going to church, when I turned 15 my parents gave me a choice. I was not that interested in AFL later on. I got a scholarship in Juniors for AFL but the bullying in country vic was out of control so I took up Judo and Hockey. Some years later, not following a team, I got to the dogs via the documentary film.

[The bulldog tragician]

The *!*!*!*!? The *!*!*!*!ing colours? Who gives two hoots about the *!*!*!*!ing colours.

For Christ sake Trag, get that kid a bulldogs jumper and then report his parents to Dept of Human Services! *!*!*!*!ing stat!!

Who says I didn’t? The guy was clearly an unfit parent, and the child exposed to harm at a vulnerable age.

[The bulldog tragician]

I was very clear to my children. Life is about choices. You can choose whatever team you want to support. However, this is a Bulldog house. If you want to eat the food at this table you have to support the Bulldogs. I just copied this playbook from by Dad

This has worked incredibly well. All our family support the Bulldogs. We have experienced so many moments together as an entire family at the football or things associated with the Bulldogs. I don't understand these parents who have three children who all support different teams. Where's the family unity in that?

I was also very harsh on other influences who attempted to persuade my children to support another team (some were quite serious and showed enormous grit in trying to change them over). If you are willing to take them to the football, week in, week out for the next 20 years then go ahead. If not .... shut the f*&^ up. They stopped after that.

I'm happy that my children are die hard Bulldog fans and being together with my extended family at both the Prelim in Sydney and the MCG Grand Final day was some of the best moments we have enjoyed together. But equally important is the weekly ritual of seeing the extended family at the footy!

Stay strong people.

And let’s not get onto the contentious subject of inter-marriage...

[Dry Rot]

You don't sell as a "we will always win and everybody gets a prize" for a start. For my family it's easy, if you want to eat, watch TV and participate in all the other aspects of society then you barrack for the Bulldogs. Second you don't present it as a choice. "If you want yiur can barrack for the Bulldogs but there are all these other clubs you might want to think about first" Third, shaming and guilt trips, "you know whatever you guys do I will always love you? You know that, don't you? I will support you in anything you want to do. Unless it's barrack for a club that isn't the Bulldogs. That's the one thing I will never come to terms with, that I will never be able to move past?"

You are the Beria of footy parents. I trust you have your kids under appropriate surveillance for compliance.

What is your gulag for offenders? Forcing them to watch Liam Jones at Carlton training sessions?