Dermot Mulroney says son is an 'individualist'

Although there are no soccer ball stickers on Dermot Mulroney’s car today, there could be soon.  According to the actor, Clyde – his 7-year-old son with estranged wife Catherine Keener — "plays a little" of the sport at school, but that is all about to change.

I’m going to get him into a little 2-week camp this summer.  Maybe he’ll get more interested in it then.

While promoting his upcoming film Gracie in which he plays the head of a soccer-obsessed family, Dermot laughed after hearing that co-star Elisabeth Shue, upon whom the film is loosely based, admits to paying her children $3 for every goal scored.  Dermot — not above a little bribery, himself — said "I’m glad I’ve been given the idea."

I’m going to pay him for goals.  That’s the way to do it.  He’s an individualist, my son.  He likes skiing, surfing, skateboarding.  That’s really hot right now.  I need to get him on some team sports.  These east coast kids all grow up on sports teams.  It’s hard to do out here because California is more about free will, and its mellower.  It’s different than the culture I grew up in.

Source: MovieWeb

Will you encourage your kids to play team sports?  Why or why not?

Comments

He and Catherine Keener are still married, just separated.

- Katie on May 31st, 2007

Ugh, that is the worst trend. My kids play soccer and you can tell right away which are the kids who get paid by their parents to score goals. They are not team players–they hog the ball to the detriment of the team because all they care about is the $$ they’ve been promised. If another team member makes a goal, those children cry rather than saying “good job.” It’s sick.

- jessica bird on May 31st, 2007

Absolutely nothing wrong with paying kids to score goals.

- Colette Mullane on May 31st, 2007

All three of my girls participate in sports. I have never paid them for their achievements. IMO, paying a child to do well defeats the idea of being one part of a team. It teaches a child to be selfish. I also think that it puts too much pressure on the child. I want my kids to learn teamwork and that includes being supportive of the other team members. I also want them to have fun playing sports. This should not be a job for them it should be fun. I would like to see all three of my daughters win every game they play, but it is just not going to happen. Losing a game teaches them that things are not always going to go their way. My biggest thing with my kids is that I am always proud of them. It’s too bad that some parents are so comeptitive that they are actually teach their child bad sportsmanship.

- Judy on June 3rd, 2007

I THINK ITS GREAT BECAUSE I HAVE A THREE YEAR OLD SON AND IS NOT INTO ANYTHING TO DO WITH A CROWD. HE IS SCARED TO DEATH AND I DON’T WANT HIM TO! HE LOVES TO PLAY EVERY SPORT BUT ONLY IN FRONT OF MOM DAD AND SPORTS!

- BRANDI on May 23rd, 2008