T-Ball Politics

When I became a parent, I had the best of intentions about how I would raise my kids -- they'd hardly ever watch TV (and I'd train them to say "oh, we hardly ever watch TV at our house"), they wouldn't eat chicken fingers and pizza at every meal, but would enjoy delicious and healthful repasts such as, oh just off the top of my head, sole;  I would get down on the floor and play educational games with them every waking moment, they would put one toy away before taking out another.

Yeah, right.  Most of those childrearing fantasies have long since dissolved in the ice-cold shower of the day-to-day reality of raising kids.  And, yesterday, so did another one:  I swore I'd never be one of those parents who interferes in their child's sports  teams.  After all, it's just a game and kids need to learn to deal with the disappointments that are inevitable in life.  Right?

Yeah, right.  Listen to what happened and then tell me if you would have done it differently.  Daniel wanted to play t-ball, so we signed him up for Little League.  When our new coach, who I will call Coach Greg (since that's his name), contacted us with the team roster for our new team --the Angels, I saw that Daniel was the only kid on his team who was in pre-K (the rest K and 1st graders) and the only kid on his team from his school.  I thought this was normal and would teach him socialization skills.  Swell.

Then dropping Daniel at school yesterday, I learned from one of the other moms that every boy in Daniel's class who is playing t-ball is on the same team - the Yankees, except Daniel.  Turns out that you can request to be place on teams with your friends (would have been nice if LL had told us that one in advance).  So, did I stay out of it, let the chips fall where they might and let Daniel "learn to deal with the inevitable disappointments in life?" 

Well, dear friends, I just couldn't do it.  Instead, I e-mailed both coaches asking for a "trade".  And, it turns out that there was a kid on the Yankees who actually had wanted to be on the Angels, so the trade worked out perfectly for everybody and I felt like a big, important sports agent, um, except without the fancy cars, stylish clothes and big salary part. 

Still, I couldn't help feel a little wistful that another of my parenting golden idols had come crashing down --  I had become one of those parents.  No doubt, by the time the kids are in high school, they'll be living entirely on Chef Boyardee products eaten with their hands in front of the always-on TV,  we'll have one inch of air left in which to breathe between the piles of never-put-away toys and the 14' ceilings, and I'll be doing all their homework and playing their sports for them.  On the upside, though, Daniel is now a Yankee, which since his mom is a native New Yorker, I'm pretty sure was his destiny.

So, what do you think?  Did I do the right thing?

Comments

[AfriDigiDiva]

You did the right thing. Unfortunately there are rabid parents in all children's sports. Congrats on making what I'm certain was a tough decision.

[petra a*k*a milo82]

I think you sure did the right thing here! I think your a great mom...and not one of those, but i think this change will be best! :)

Have a great weekend!

[Barb]

I have a big problem with "sports parents" who feel that they need to interfere (you know the ones I'm talking about), HOWEVER....in your case I think you did just fine. No big deal whatsoever :-) Go Yankees!

[Dianne]

Sis- you can NEVER go wrong with the Yankees! In fact I may have done the reverse and switched my son from the team with all his friends to the one without just to be a Yankee!

But here is a question I have long pondered.....How do you get to be one of those partents that "knows"? Seriously, I am always the one who "didn't know you could do that".

[Mary]

You know you did what was right and I think that's all that matters. We love our kids and we'll always do what we feel is right for them. ;) Don't worry 'bout it

[Robin L]

I dont see nothing wrong with what you did. If youre happy, your son is happy and the other kid is happy hey nothing wrong there.

[Shana a.k.a. ScrapShana]

YES, you did the right thing. I can totally identify with everything you wrote today!!! As a mom, and a teacher, I can tell you he is definately better off with children of his own age group, and maturity level.

[falwyn]

You did just fine! Especially since there was another kid who wanted to trade anyway. After all, you're not one of those rabid-on-the-sidelines parents screaming at the ump, right. Right?? :) Very different.

[beth]

i am cheerleader mom... i swore i wouldnt be... but there arose a situation and i had to say something.....aaaargh