Posts Tagged ‘soccer’
Does talent matter?
Thursday, August 25th, 2011
Sawyer was not very excited for the first soccer practice.
He’d rather stay home and play with his Bey Blades. Or watch TV. He told me a couple weeks ago that he wants to take a year off from sports.
“Too bad,” said Mean Mommy.
I’m a big believer in sports. I like the lessons they teach, from working as a team to learning how to lose – and how to win. I also like my kids to be physically active, and they don’t even have PE at the school for the younger grades – unless you consider their teacher taking them out on the playground once a week for some sort of activity sufficient. Which I don’t.
So there was whining and complaining as he got ready to go to practice. We went through this with baseball, too. And just like baseball, once he gets there, he has fun.
He was trying hard while dribbling around cones and doing passing and shooting drills and he was smiling a lot.
He also is pretty good. It’s his fourth season. He has some skills. He’s fast.
What he lacks, thus far, is that competitive edge. That real desire to be out there. And I admit it’s frustrating to me, because he’s an athletic kid. He might not be the best player on the field, but he can certainly hold his own. And he’s a natural swimmer – he could do four strokes at age 5 – but he doesn’t want to compete in races so he refuses to join a swim team.
He has talent. But it might not matter.
My friend Ciaran posted this video about whether you should allow your child to pursue something at which they have no ability.
My question is, how do you get them to pursue something at which they’re good?
Because the truth is, no matter how good he might be at them, sports just might not be his thing.
I continue to sign him up, soccer in the fall and Little League in the spring (he gets the winter off, since he said “no” to basketball). He’s only seven, and I want to make sure he gives it a chance before he decides he really doesn’t like it. Because at some point, if he really protests, I won’t force him. And that makes me sad.
What do you think? Should you encourage your kids if they’re bad at something – or if they’re good but lack interest?
Tags: Ciaran, leadership, Momfluential, soccer, sports, when
Posted in Parenting | 51 Comments »
‘Tude
Wednesday, October 6th, 2010
Honestly, Blogowebz, I don’t know what to do with this child.
I love her. I do.
But sometimes?
Sometimes, she makes it really, really difficult.
It’s the back-talk. The bad attitude.
She is Sassy McSassypants.
She told me a couple weeks ago she did not like school. Why? Because they have RULES!
So you can imagine how she feels about living HERE. What with all our pesky rules about changing your underwear every day and brushing your teeth and not pinching your brother and, you know, listening to your parents.
The other night I sent her to her room at 6:30 and told her she could come out – when she woke up the next morning.
There was lots of screaming and crying and carrying on. But she was awfully cute today when I came back from my run and found her snuggled in our bed.
“Can I come out now, Mommy?” she said.
The worst part, the absolute most awful truth, is that I know I’m failing as a parent. I mean, she’s a bright, funny, beautiful little girl – who is angry a lot.
And I don’t know how to make her kinder. More gentle.
More her.
I am sad. But I’m also determined.
Is there anything we try harder at than being a good parent?
Because there is nothing in this world more difficult.
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Sports are supposed to be a good outlet for all the “energy,” right? So here’s the latest highlight from Sage. Unfortunately we don’t have on film the part where she pouted and yelled at us because we clapped when the other team scored.
One of her five goals Saturday.
Tags: Sage, sassy, soccer
Posted in Parenting | 54 Comments »
There’s no crying in soccer
Sunday, September 26th, 2010
Four and five year-olds playing soccer is supposed to all be about fun, right?
They wear ribbons in their hair and have team names like Pink Ponies and Buttercups. They travel in clumps and kick at each other and are most excited about the post-game snack. Nobody wins or loses or keeps track of the goals (except the kids and the parents, of course). (more…)
Tags: get out there and play, no crying, purple unicorns, soccer
Posted in Parenting | 41 Comments »
Wordless Wednesday – Soccer to me
Wednesday, September 15th, 2010
Opening day for soccer was Saturday. I have two kids who play. And a husband who was away on his yearly man-bonding mountain biking trip. After he was at a “conference” in Tahoe all of last week.
Not that I’m bitter.
Whatevs. (more…)
Tags: ayso, i'm a soccer mom, soccer
Posted in Parenting, Wordless Wednesday | 30 Comments »
