Home > Health > MOMania > Archives > 2007 > November > 24 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USColleges compete for the loyalty of a 4-year-old
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For the last three years I’ve taken my daughter to at least one Georgia Tech game. My father, who is a Georgia Tech grad, wants all his grandchildren to see and enjoy his alma mater. But my 4-year-old son has refused to go.
We have begged him, bribed him, threatened him, but he was NOT going to see those Yellow Jackets play. In fact, he’s vowed that if he ever ran across ‘that bee’, as he calls Buzz, he would beat him up!
This is not the normal reaction of a 2-, 3-, and 4-year-old child. This is the reaction of a child who has been brainwashed by his Dawg-loving father to hate Georgia Tech. I don’t think it’s unusual for children to take on the views of their parents. They often reflect their parents’ thoughts on the arts, food, politics and even on negative things such as race.
I’ve heard from school teachers that they can often tell how parents are voting and what their general views are from what their children spout at school. Whether passively learned or actively taught, what’s talked about at home is there for teachers to hear.
Like all parents, I’m sure we’ve passed onto our kids some good things and some bad.
They know going to church is important to us. They know we don’t like clear-cutting trees to make new neighborhoods. And they know we are lucky to have warm clothes, warm food and a warm house, and we should share our blessings.
On the negative side, they know that their father likes Rihanna and the X-Box and they do too. (Neither of these is inherently bad, I’m just not sure they are appropriate for children.) For my own part, they know I tend to say bad words, which my children pick up sometimes. I’m working on that.
My son’s blind devotion to Georgia used to be cute. He wanted to wear white and red arm sweatbands like D.J. Shockley. He wore a Georgia football jersey every single day for at least half a year. (Note the photo on our blog site from two years ago. He’s in a red jersey.) But now his father’s fervent beliefs are creating an internal struggle that I don’t think a 4-year-old should have to deal with.
Michael was attending the Georgia-Kentucky game two Saturdays ago and I had planned to take Rose and the baby to see the Ga. Tech game with my parents. Walsh didn’t have a choice this year. There was no one to keep him. He was going to see Ga. Tech play.
I felt bad for the little guy. He didn’t want to have a good time. His loyalty was to his father. He resisted valiantly for a while. When the band was welcoming the team he ignored them. When the Rambling Wreck drove down the street and onto the sidewalk right in front of us, he hid behind a pole. When that bee came over, he refused to get near him. He wouldn’t hug him or pose for a photo. But when his guard was down and he didn’t think anyone was watching, he was smiling and shaking his booty to the band. His eyes widened when he saw the band playing en masse in their bright white uniforms on the steps in front of the stadium.
What truly broke him down though was Georgia Tech’s FanFest. Across from the stadium, were four blow-up bouncy activities. He completely acquiesced. (Maybe the CIA should try those on Al-Qaeda operatives. They’ll crack just like the 4-year-old.)
As with all indoctrination, kids get older and learn to think for themselves. Even at 6, my daughter has figured out that she can drive her father crazy by telling him she’s rooting for Georgia Tech or even worse that she loves those Gators. Hopefully, my son will be more receptive to that bee as he grows older.
Comments
By Brian
November 26, 2007 8:51 AM | Link to this
If anyone questions what Teresa is saying here, I am proof. I was raised in a big Tech family. I was later a student at UGA not once, but twice and got two degrees there that I am very proud of.
I loved my time at UGA and Athens, but when it comes time to tee the ball up or tip it off, I still bleed Old Gold and White. I am a season ticket holder at Tech and will continue to be.
Some say I am schizo, a lot of UGA fans just shake their head at me, but that loyalty was established early and it’s something I’ve dealt with and survived.
And if you ask me what the good word is, I’ll still tell you….THWG!
By fk
November 26, 2007 9:13 AM | Link to this
My husband’s family, brothers, sisters, parents, my son, 16, and his cousins (ages 12-26) included, have always been die-hard Notre Dame fans. The ND fight song plays when the doorbell is rung at my brother-in-law’s home. Even the newest baby wears ND colors on game day. Needless to say, ND is a top college choice for our son (as is GA Tech). If he is accepted to ND, it will send them all over the edge. He’ll become family legend.
Big question: How did the Thanksgiving visit go??? Will you be hosting again next year?
By Jeff
November 26, 2007 9:23 AM | Link to this
Why would you torture your poor 4yo son by taking him to a game that even the school’s own students avoid like the plague???
If you MUST take him to a game from that so-called ‘football’ team that the North Avenue Trade School actually thinks can have a winning season, let him wear his red jersey.
At least he’ll be on the winning side.
By Brian
November 26, 2007 9:35 AM | Link to this
Classy Jeff, totally classy…and people wonder why I remained a Tech fan.
By FCM
November 26, 2007 9:54 AM | Link to this
Football (among other sports) was not discussed in the home during the very early years…Not because we didn’t like football but because I refused to become a ‘Noles fan. Among the many control freak(ing)things done was to not allow any team to be on tv accept the ones he liked….and it just got not worth speaking about it.
Now, my child gladly ‘woofs’ as the Dawgs take the field. This is NOT due to my influence but likely some child in the class at school. (If it were my influence it would be a different school).
In my family football was discussed at the table…depending on the person speakings team you can imagine how it went.
I would much rather my child grow up hearing her Uncles, Grandfathers, and myself debate our personal favorites: Michigan, Ohio State (yes that is an heated subject), Vandy, Tennessee, Florida, and Florida State. Then to brainwashed into a team at an early age and for the wrong reason.
Oh and side bar: the Uncle that roots Wolverines, he is an alum of UGA.
By Jesse's Girl
November 26, 2007 9:57 AM | Link to this
Weddings, vacations, even the occasional birth and death have been planned around a UGA home game. Its Jesus, family, Dawgs in our house. The Boy wears his UGA attire at least 3 times a week. His nickname is Bull Dog. His sisters are equally obsessed…having already researched what “awesome degrees” they offer and whether they will live on campus, in an apartment off of Baxter, or pledge during rush week. We love it!!!! I am convinced that their obsession with college football has led them to the healthy math grades they now have. I have yet to meet a 3 year old girl who can figure all the downs and point afters in a game and recite the rules for OT. The Boy is the same. Go Dawgs!!!
By Jeff
November 26, 2007 10:19 AM | Link to this
JG:
I completely concur. Heck, one selling point in getting my relatives from North GA to come to South GA for the wedding was that UGA was only playing Vandy!
Of course, as long as I have a radio, I’m good. Particularly when Munson is on the mike, its generally BETTER than watching the game on TV. (And there are a few even in my family who will watch the game on mute and listen to Munson with the play-by-play!)
By DB
November 26, 2007 11:00 AM | Link to this
OK, I’m clueless, here. Can someone please explain to me why an adult presumably graduated from college for years and years, would still be so freakin’ obsessed with a college football game to the point of warping their child’s perception of the teams involved? Are human beings such pack animals that they need something to identify with, even if it’s just a bunch of kids — whom they don’t even know — tossing a ball around on a field in front of 40,000 other howling fans? Why is it necessary to put down one’s rivals in order to feel superior? I just don’t get it — it must be the estrogen. :-)
My cousin in another state married a man who was a die-hard fan of her college’s biggest rival — he never attended the school, mind you, but it was still HIS school, nevertheless. He was so obnoxious in his fan-dom that when she dressed their 5-year-old son for a wedding, wearing a coordinating tie that happened to be the color of the WRONG SCHOOL, he ripped off the offending tie and declared that no son of his would wear THAT color! We all stood around open-mouth — child crying, mother ready to murder her husband, and husband standing there red-faced and belligerant.
I can see a little friendly game-day rivalry and teasing, but when it becomes a lifestyle, it’s just weird. JMHO, mind you.
By Jeff
November 26, 2007 11:22 AM | Link to this
DB:
Even I would never go to THAT length… but at the same time, you will NEVER catch me in Old Gold and White or Blue and Orange. Matter of fact, my wardrobe tends to stay in the red and black or non-collegiate-colors range. (Neutrals, darker pastels -sky blue, lime green, etc -, or collegiate colors but not both school colors at once - such as I may wear a blue shirt with black pants)
By Theresa
November 26, 2007 11:25 AM | Link to this
Hey Everybody!! — Lots of updates —
So i went to the Ga./GA. Tech game on Saturday with my dad (his season tickets — Michael couldn’t be trusted to behave himself in Tech seats so he wasn’t invited - he had to stay home wtih the kids) — The tension and hate in that stadium was terrible — you could totally feel it — I was a little nervous walking in — even the usually demure Tech fans were getting very ugly — I was a quiet Ga fan in the Tech territory -I cheer, I yell Go Gogog, but I’m not obnoxious - You can’t help but bark during kick offs — it’s ingrained —but because my youth was spent at tech games I do sing along with some of the tech songs too —
The visit went really well — cold and rainy so not too much sports as planned — a little basketball —- mohter in law was great =- very helpful wiht cooking and taking care of kids as was sister in law (who is 14) and brother in law and girlfriend Biggest problem was Alton Brown’s recipe for my turkey underestimated the amount of time it would take to cook — I refused to take it out because the temp had not reached 161 as per Alton’s recipe (usda says 165) — family mutinied - michael was pretty rude about it — but I was not serving undercooked turkey —- served an hour late but they started with pasta —- so that was the biggest problem
whole family (all 10 of us) went to the aquarium on friday — it was packed but really good — first time we’ve been — really liked it — saw it in 3 hours — that’s all you need —
By Theresa
November 26, 2007 11:27 AM | Link to this
PS. I picked up a cold — sitting in the cold on Saturday night in the upper deck didn’t help matters — taking craploads of vitamin C!!
By Vicki
November 26, 2007 11:44 AM | Link to this
FYI,
ESPN.com is reporting that Ga Tech head football coach has been fired.
A press conference is planned for 2:00 pm.
By Laura
November 26, 2007 1:13 PM | Link to this
Aww, leave the kid alone Theresa. He obviously just prefers the winning team. You know, because UGA has beaten GA Tech for the past 7 years in a row. Why would Walsh want to associate with a bunch of losers?
By Dave
November 26, 2007 3:59 PM | Link to this
The reason is because in the northeast, it’s a cultural past time. Out west, it’s a weekend getaway. But in the South, college football is a religion and every fall Saturday is Holy Day. Football and the south is like the changing of the tides and the sun rising and setting…….let it be.
By mayretter local
November 26, 2007 6:00 PM | Link to this
If you don’t understand it, “ya ain’t from around here, are ya?”
GOOOO DAWGS!!!!! Bring on USC in the Rose Bowl. We’ll show em how tailgating is done.
By CRB
November 26, 2007 6:21 PM | Link to this
I was raised in a UGA household back during the Dooley/Herschel years but I ended up going to Georgia Tech once I decided which educational route I wanted to pursue.
My daughter’s favorite bedtime song us Up With the White and Gold…so her training is beginning. =]
By MsYvone
November 26, 2007 6:44 PM | Link to this
Dave, darlin, you underestimate the importance of football in the NorthEast.
In our household, JoePa is god, Beaver Stadium is the Temple, and 12 saturdays in the fall are the holy days. (What’s with these people planning weddings on football saturdays? I don’t care WHO is playing, its sacriledge!)
Our two year old proudly wears her Penn State shirt, has a JoePa stuffed doll (and can identify him on TV). She say and do the signals for “Touchdown!” “Safety” “Holding” “Offsides” and “Illegal Motion”. We’re working on the “WE ARE” “PENN STATE” cheer, but she can chant NITTANY LI-ONS” with the best of them!
Good Thing her Grandma is moving to State College, we’ll be able to go to at least one home game a year.
By WEM
November 26, 2007 6:57 PM | Link to this
DB is right on, and it has nothing to do with estrogen.
I’m a 50 year-old, virile male, born and raised in Atlanta. I enjoy watching football, prefer to see the home teams (Tech and UGA) win, and pull for whichever happens to be the underdog when they go head-to-head (unless something significant is on the line for either one).
Face it, folks — it’s time to grow up, expand your outlook, and stop measuring your self worth according to how ‘your team’ happens to be doing this year.
Instead, why don’t you pick up a good book. You might start by actually reading one of the works of classical literature, required in high school or college, for which you bought ‘cliff notes’ instead.
By Kris
November 26, 2007 7:42 PM | Link to this
Being a UGA grad, I taught my 2 year old to blow raspberries at the mere mention of yellow jackets and gators. Now he is a 5 year old in kindergarten at a school with blue and orange as its colors and gators for a mascot. His reaction -“I don’t want to be a gator!” My preindoctrination came back to bite me in the butt!! Now he thinks Florida Gators are bad, but other gators are okay. By the way, he loves the Georgia Bulldogs.
By Kris
November 26, 2007 7:42 PM | Link to this
Being a UGA grad, I taught my 2 year old to blow raspberries at the mere mention of yellow jackets and gators. Now he is a 5 year old in kindergarten at a school with blue and orange as its colors and gators for a mascot. His reaction -“I don’t want to be a gator!” My preindoctrination came back to bite me in the butt!! Now he thinks Florida Gators are bad, but other gators are okay. By the way, he loves the Georgia Bulldogs.
By Court
November 26, 2007 8:05 PM | Link to this
I completely agree with you. When I was little, a family member gave me a gag gift - an stuffed Auburn football player. You see, my mother and father raised me as a die hard Alabama fan and just like UGA fans, we hate Auburn. A loving family member also gave me a stuffed Alabama football player. While my dad cheers for the crimson and white, most of his family bleeds orange and blue. When one of those Auburn family members would babysit me, they would teach me those awful words of “War Eagle.” Since I was two, I didn’t fully understand the horrible thing I was saying. When I would get home and tell my mother those two words, she would get the two players out to teach me what I should say. She would first throw the Auburn player on the ground and stomp on him while saying “ROLL TIDE!” Then, she would take the Bama player and hug him and tell me to love the Bama player and hate the Auburn thing. Her teachings may have been drastic, but I’m glad they worked. I now have a degree from Alabama and am working on my masters. We may have fallen on hard times during my college career, but I wouldn’t trade a second of singing “Yea Alabama!” or giving a big “Roll Tide” to start every football game. To the UGA fans, good luck in whatever post season game you play in, you may have beaten us, but thanks for beating that school down the road from me!
By Jo
November 27, 2007 7:04 AM | Link to this
Does it really matter which mediocre government school your son is brainwashed into? If you’re going to brainwash him with football, at least brainwash him with Ivy League football, so he may dream of playing for Harvard instead of UGA.
By Koz
November 27, 2007 7:18 AM | Link to this
Theresa, Who is Rihanna?
By FCM
November 27, 2007 8:04 AM | Link to this
@ WEM—-who says that fans don’t read? Jeff reads, at least enough to speak on the Book Blog. I read, often—and not just the NYT Bestsellers list. Your assumptions are just as appalling as assuming that because you do not follow football (and are a man) you are weak (though you did state virile).
DB—it’s ok if you don’t get the football/college thing. My mother has lived with it for more than 30 years and she doesn’t get it either.
I do not wrap who I am in whether or not the Vols go all the way. I am actually sure they will get stomped by LSU this weekend at the Dome.:o(
(However if Tennessee pulls through I will be cheering loud!).
There was a great article in the Sept issue of Southern Living that explained the love affair of football and the south. http://www.southernliving.com/southern/search/results/1,14892,,00.html is a list of several of their articles on tailgating and football.
By Theresa
November 27, 2007 8:07 AM | Link to this
Rihanna is a 19 year old singer — She is very beautiful and sexy and I’m not sure what a lot of her lyrics mean
By FCM
November 27, 2007 8:16 AM | Link to this
@ Jeff, sorry I need my coffee today….I KNOW you read! I meant to say that you speak on the Book Blog often about what you have read. Sorry again!
By WEM
November 27, 2007 12:49 PM | Link to this
FCM: By their very definition, generalizations don’t describe all individual elements within a group. Pardon me if you (or one of your pals) happen to be one of the exceptions.
I have no supporting data (though it may exist), but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if higher-than-average interest in the scores of sporting events correlates with lower-than-average scores on SAT tests.
Don’t you think it’s obvious that rabid sports fans have — on the average — fewer healthy diversions than the general population?
But this article was about the effects upon children of rabid sports behavior. When kids begin to reflect their parent’s intolerance of devotees to ‘other teams’, then someone’s parenting has gone badly awry. Wouldn’t we serve our children far better by modeling interest in things on a ‘higher plane’, if you will?