Parenting advice: Short kids and basketball.

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Dear Care and Feeding,

My 13-year-old son loves basketball and he’s really good at it right now, but he’s really short for his age, and his pediatrician said he probably won’t grow much more.It’s no secret that basketball is a game for tall people, so I’m wondering if I should tell him that he should find another activity once he gets to high school.

I know that will break his heart, but I want to give him a reality check before he realizes his height will hold him back. How should I break the news to him?

—Short Stack Dear Short Stack,

You want to know how to break the news to him? You don’t break the news to him.

I played basketball in high school and college, and I had players on my teams that defied all odds in terms of height, body shape, athleticism, you name it. Why in the world would you want to take away an activity from your son that he loves just because you don’t think he will be successful at it later on? Shouldn’t your job be to support him in every way possible?

I won’t drag you too hard because I’m sure your heart is in the right place, but I promise that you’ll do more harm than good if you take basketball away from him. Also, think of it this way—let’s say he gets cut from the Varsity basketball team in high school. It’s not like his life will spiral out of control or that he will love the game any less. He could become a coach, a scout, a general manager of a professional team, or hold some other basketball-related job in the future. Heck, I tore both of my Achilles tendons (not at the same time, thankfully) so my basketball playing days are long over, but now I feed my passion for the game by coaching young kids.

My point is you have no idea where basketball will take your son, but I have a feeling that it will be to a positive place, especially since he loves the game so much. Whatever you do, don’t make him quit just because you think he won’t be successful.

—Doyin

My husband and I have a 1-year-old daughter. Our parents all live in a state where gun ownership is common. I do not trust my in-laws to lock up their guns safely and properly. What should I say?