I didn't read all the responses and don't have kids so I can only talk from being one. I don't think I would force him. Your sister's comment caught my eye with "if we don't get them in early than they will never really be as good as those who have played for years." I completely disagree. My parents were athletic and involved with sports. Dad since he was wee little and Mom in high school. We weren't allowed to play sports and be in all kinds of activities as kids. We were told once we hit high school, and sports were offered through the school, we could (which was 7th grade). My Dad worked long hours and Mom worked on and off through the years. She wasn't going to run all the time dragging us from sport to Girl Scouts, piano lessons, etc. As a kid I was a little disappointed but I also want to point out there wasn't much around where we live besides girl scouts or softball. I only ever wanted to try softball because of my one friend. ( BTW, never again had a desire to play.) Anyhow, as an adult I don't blame my parents one bit for that decision. I see parents running their kids every night to something and they don't have time to be a breathe. In 4th grade band was offered and I wanted to play the trumpet. Two weeks into it I wanted to quite and wasn't allowed. I'm glad they had me stay with it. I played all the way up until I graduated. Once I hit high school I played sports. I played on the varsity team as a freshman. I was very good at everything I was involved in and it was rare for Mom to miss a game, meet, etc. Dad was there when he could be. Schedules were very crazy. There's always room for improvement but I think a kid is generally either athletic or not. If you're not quite as good and you actually like the sport, most times you'll practice and practice even on your own time until you get better. DH thinks like your sister. (Yes, even though I'm a first hand example proving him wrong.) His parents were athletic and involved in sports as well. DH and his brothers all played sports as kids. He's passionate about having our future kids in activities when they're super little all the way up through the years. I've seen kids get burn out on sports. Kids that started when they were 2 wrestling and hated it by high school. A big difference from back then to now was we were made to go outside and play. When we did get a Nintendo and Super Nintendo our time was limited. So that being said, I think it's better for a kid to be involved with something vs. sitting on the couch in front of the tv, video games, or computer. I have no idea what we'll end up doing when the time comes. If they want to, I'm sure we'll give the ok but it's very important to me that we keep a balance. I know all this depends on a bunch of different factors but that's my story.

Greetings Nita1950 ... fom a guy who goes back to 1929, I take my hat off to you who, with a noble heart, has been so kindly disposed to relatives who have treated you so poorly. With regard to his trip, the major difference is distance. I expect that, as a pizza driver, he may well have had a few hard knocks to deal with, or ones that could have become so. He has quite probably run into some difficult situations, which, in deference to your concerns, he has not revealed to you in their entirety: people can sometimes get into some rather hot water, close to home, let's not forget. It has long seemed to me a wise idea for a parent to discuss various potential results that might develop if one were to follow varying courses of action in certain situations, as our children grew up, though I was partially removed, being a non-resident father from the time that ours were rather young. It has seemed to me important, our world having become as complex as it is, and with innovations happening so rapidly, to encourage our children to develop reasoning skills and the ability to navigate their way through the increasing complexities of life. To prepare themselves step by step for independence. My daughter spent I think that it was her junior year in High School as an exchange student in Hamburg, Germany, living wih a family where the father was an engineer in the city administration. She said that, while she was happy to go with them as a little mouse in the back seat on various trips, she did some travelling on her own, going with a school group to camp above Florence for about a week, I think, and she did some travelling through Europe and in ... was it Morocco? in North Africa. Her Mom being from Iowa, she has dual citizenship and, following the breakup of hewr marriage, took off for Arizona ... California ... a few years ago, settled in Prescott, found work, later moved to Phoenix ... returned to Ontario, Canada after a layoff, and when her Mom was battling cancer, but since has returned to AZ, where she plans to locate. She's a venturesome spirit and, if she may have encountered some minor difficulties alog the road, has been able to cope with them effectively. I grew up on a farm near here, had never travelled more than 30 miles from home ... till my Dad, due partly to health problems, relocated to the prairies when I was a teen. After Univ., on grad from (liberal Protestant) seminary, near the end of the Korean War I asked and was appointed as a missionary and refugee resettlement worker to go to Korea ... this kid who had neve seen an ocean spent more than 2 weeks on it: it gives one an idea of how large our world is. And the Korean War had ended in a truce in 1953 (there's still been no peace agreement) by the time that I arrived, but the refugees were having a hard time. I hope that you can rest easily, trusting that this precious child will be fine as he embarks on this new adventure ... as I think that there are about 999 chances in 1,000 to be the case. And even if the one potential difficulty should occur, quite likely it will be minor, and easily coped with. I've been hearing that some of our kids are breaking down in college, largely due to their having been driven everywhere, so carefully shepherded at home, and scheduled, etc. that they've found it almost impossible to cope with life on their own. That's tough - we need for the next generation to be innovative, self-reliant, etc. and not lacking in self-confidence ... and, from what you've said, I don't think that your young son is on such a path. Good wishes to both of you, as you embark on this new adventure: it's time to let him off of the leash, right? ole joyful

I agree, I think you can only back away at this point. You have tried to contact him numerous times, had your other son try and nothing comes of it. You have to move on with your life. Leave the door open for your son to come back into your life. Let him know you will always love him no matter what. But there is nothing you can do at this moment. NancyLouise

Hi Everyone! Thanks all for your concern. I'm not sure what to post, except, I'm quite certain it's MUCH better. He hasn't shown any aggression towards my son in several weeks. He didn't show any aggression towards my daughter either for about 3 weeks but then just recently, he snapped at her. We do take him running. He runs several miles a few times a day. We all run at different times during the day, so he goes on 2-3 runs per day. I take him at around 6a.m., at least one of my kids takes him after school and/or plays fetch with him and then my husband takes him in the evening. He gets PLENTY of exercise. I run the least, which is about 3-4 miles in the morning and on occasion 5 or more miles. I also took him to the vet. The vet is concerned, so he has a dog trainer that is planning to come by. I also contacted the local dog training school, who has not yet returned my phone call or email. BUT, my dog is doing better. I just don't have the heart to take him back to the shelter. He came from a shelter near by, which I believe is VERY good and everyone cares about the animals. They told me he won't get along with other dogs but were sure he would get along well with people. And by all accounts, he did until we brought him home. Remember, we visited him a few times at the shelter and he as great. I am sure that if we take him back,he will be euthanized and that idea is just too heartbreaking. My dog has some very loving qualities and such great charm.