KIDS AND SPORTS

KIDS & SPORTS - The keyword in playing a sport is PLAYING! The moment your child is no longer playing (watching from the sidelines, dugout, bench etc…) or not having fun…that is the time to re-evaluate why you even started! Not everyone joins a team sport to be a professional.  Sports should really help your kids get exercise, make friends, develop physical skills, learn all about teamwork and my favorite, improve their self-esteem!

When kids play team sports, it should offer not only some life lessons but it should (could) be an outlet for building lifelong friendships, releasing stress, getting in shape, respect, discipline, empathy, learning to win and lose and above-all, about loving who they are whether they win or lose…

Sometimes along that journey, if they are lucky and work hard, they grow into better athletes (but sometimes not and that's okay too!)

Did you know that "over 70% of youth athletes drop out of sports before they enter high school. The reasons according to the kids themselves: Too much pressure to win, poor coaching, being forced to “choose” and specialize in a single sport at too early of an age, too expensive for parents, team/club politics, etc." (Source: Kids Out and About.)

Regardless, being part of a team and playing a sport (whether recreational, travel, or in school,) should not be a task or a chore, unless of course, you and your child have decided that they are going to pursue sports professionally or at least in college, and then it becomes like a full-time job. Otherwise, playing sports should be about PLAYING and having fun, even when it’s difficult and it should be about learning to work together as a TEAM, making friendships, regardless of where they play at.

We should teach our children that making friends should not be based upon skill levels but human levels. Just because a kid is a great athlete, doesn’t make him/her a great person. Building and maintaining a friendship goes way beyond the field, court or ice…especially if they have friends who have decided to no longer play.

Not every kid is going to be a Messi, Simón Biles, Michael Jordan, Gretzky and so on. They can try along the way, but without the unnecessary pressure from parents. We can teach our children to be their best selves, but not while living out our dreams vicariously through them. It must be their passion and ultimately their choice, as they get older. (And of course, I am not referring to a 4 or 5-year old kid, who just started playing optimist soccer or baseball!)

Ultimately, we need to let our student athletes (and children in general,) learn, develop, have fun, and enjoy making memories and teach our kids to make friendships based on human connection, not who they play for or don't play for or if they are popular or not.  It has never been easy to find real and loyal friends but in today's world, it seems an even harder task.  

It is up to us as parents to set a good example and be there for our children unconditionally.

Some day, we will wake up and there will be no more games, meets, or events to go to, whether by their choice or by time.

 

Remember, that the GIFT OF LIFE is TIME!  Make the best of it. ~LR

PITBULL CONCERT OR BASEBALL GAME?

 

Pitbull Concert vs. Miami Marlins Baseball Game.

Recently, I was faced with a decision that put my motherhood instincts to the test 😂  I was faced with two options:  Going with my 10-year old son, to a Miami Marlins baseball game, where I had to buy tickets, buy food, drive 1 hour OR go see the Pitbull & Enrique Iglesias concert in Miami that I was invited to for free and would be driven to! 😁

As soon as I received the phone call with the invite, my inner self, said "yes!" I visualized myself there at the concert listening to Mr. Worldwide and Latin heartthrob, Enrique Iglesias. I got so excited! Then, I remembered that my son had been talking about this game vs. the Chicago Cubs for days! He was so looking forward to going to the baseball game with me. I contemplated how I could make everyone happy in this scenario. I even gave him the option of going with his father and he said, "No," that he really wanted me to take him.  He said it would be a "bonding experience for us."  I know, I know. I am such a sucker for his manipulation!

Although for a few moments, I really did consider going to the concert, the look of disappoint on my son's face when he thought I was actually going to ditch him for the concert convinced me of what I knew I had to do. 

Truth is, I spent ten years in the music business and had my fill of concerts but, oh, for those few minutes, how I flashed back to my days of partying and going to concerts! I just wanted to throw my "mommy hat" out the window, put on my infamous little red dress and go party! 

My teenage daughter went to the concert with her friend and the parents, who invited her and had a great time and said the concert was amazing! 🎼🎤 🙏🏻

We finally went to the game. We drove one hour plus to get there; we had the ice cream, the hotdog, the nachos, the popcorn and the soft drinks! And we when I say "we," you know I mainly mean me!  LOL! The Marlins beat the Cubs that night and we got to see Giancarlo Stanton hit a homerun! I let my son walk around the area we were seated at, with his glove in hand to catch fly balls that go into the stands. I walked with him to the bullpen before the game to see the players and when it was all said and done, he thanked me for taking him to the game and apologized to me that I missed the concert.  At that very moment, I knew in my heart I had made the right choice and assured him that I much rather spend time with him than go to one more concert in my life!

Reality is, I would have never fit into that "little red dress" again and that's okay and two hours at a concert would not exactly be a lifelong memory for my kid. I think as moms, as parents, we reach a point where sometimes seeing our children smile and having them make a lasting memory is more valuable than anything else. At least it is in my case. 

 

Hopefully, years from now my little man will remember the "baseball date" he and I had!

The special moments we share with our kids are the memories that will last a lifetime, long after we (the parents) are gone.

~Lissette