Thursday, July 16, 2009

Kids and Sports Part 2: I Salute Sports Parents

You know how people always say to me, “Gee, Kerrie, how do you handle so many kids? Taking care of one wears me out!”?

Well, I am in awe of the people who have 1 or 2 kids and are at a different sporting event or activity every night. How do they do it? How do they remember it all? How do they keep straight where to be when? What if there are scheduling conflicts or one spouse goes out of town and one parent has to be in two places at once? And if they both work during the day or have more than 2 kids, they are like rock star freaks in my book.

I signed Joel up for the Johnson County Parks and Recreation Baseball … a 7-week deal only twice a week for kids entering 1st and 2nd grade. I figured since we homeschool, I could technically call him 2nd grade and get away with it. He’s a pretty good hitter, runner and thrower, so I got over my sports aversion and gave it a shot.

First of all, he doesn’t enjoy it. Of course I’m making him finish the whole thing, but unless he asks to do a sport in the fall, I’m not bringing it up. Some parents make sure their kid picks one activity per season. That parent isn’t me. I’m too cheap and too busy (read: a husband who will be going out of town soon while I’m handling a newborn plus 4 other kids). Joel and Michael will have religious education in the fall plus Cub Scouts, and in my world that’s PLENTY.

You’d think a stay-at-home mom could get her crap together enough to get a GAME SHIRT washed between Tuesday night and Thursday night, but no. And even though 6:30 comes at the same time every baseball practice night, we are always rushing out the door, sandwiches in hand, yelling about did we pack his glove, do we have chairs, do we have enough water, I gotta get my tennis shoes on so Preggie can chase Eva around, and so on.

Activities are stressful. I know they are worth it for lots of kids, and I just hope the kids appreciate the sacrifices on the part of the parents.

Soccer, gymnastics, music, Cub Scouts, 4-H, swimming, football, etc. Moms and Dads: I salute you.