Thanks, John. I had my own issues as a parent of kids playing sports; I wanted to pass along everything pro ballplayers taught me, but I eventually realized my kids weren't nearly as excited about baseball as I was and I needed to back off. Hard to do when your kids are involved.
I wish I had read this and contemplated it years ago. I think there was a time when I honestly thought that because I loved the game my son would just naturally do so as well. Just one of several miscalculations!
Took me a while, but I realized I had to ask them to practice baseball, but never had to ask them to make music or produce art and maybe they should be doing what they loved instead of what I loved. All three are musicians and continue to make art of one sort or another.
I think you nailed it. If I ever get another shot at it (at 62, it's going to take some odd twists of fate) I've got a different plan to follow. It's nice when our kids are happy and successful despite the well intentioned but somewhat misguided efforts of the their parents.
Thanks. I think that ex-pro ballplayer put it in perspective and improved the way I thought about my kids and they sports they played. None of them play sports now, so the lessons I hope they learned about being good people are more important than the lessons they learned about being good athletes.
And that you were awake enough to notice the activities your kids didn’t have to be asked to do. I remember when I realized my son had his own plan for his life, which did not match the plan I’d developed. And look… happy well adjusted kids!
As an umpire, you hit the nail on the head Lee (great name). I supervise umpires at local leagues and have asked more than one irate parent if they would like to join our ranks since they seem to know so much about it. They all refuse, one even saying he wouldn’t because he doesn’t like the parents yelling - which he as doing a bang up job of. 🤦♂️
I totally agree that we have great names. I also totally agree about parents being unreasonable. It's not all of them, but enough of them to make things uncomfortable for everybody else.
"Don Corleone. I am honored that you have asked me to your house this day to celebrate the marriage of your daughter. And may the first child be a masculine child, but not one who wants to play sports because you know Connie would slug an umpire for calling her child out." 😉😘
If I recall correctly there was a Sopranos episode where Tony was unhappy with his son's playing time. If I was Tony Soprano's son's coach, that kid would play whatever position he wanted to play just as long as he wanted to play it.
This should be required reading for every parent with kids playing sports!
Thanks, John. I had my own issues as a parent of kids playing sports; I wanted to pass along everything pro ballplayers taught me, but I eventually realized my kids weren't nearly as excited about baseball as I was and I needed to back off. Hard to do when your kids are involved.
I wish I had read this and contemplated it years ago. I think there was a time when I honestly thought that because I loved the game my son would just naturally do so as well. Just one of several miscalculations!
Took me a while, but I realized I had to ask them to practice baseball, but never had to ask them to make music or produce art and maybe they should be doing what they loved instead of what I loved. All three are musicians and continue to make art of one sort or another.
I think you nailed it. If I ever get another shot at it (at 62, it's going to take some odd twists of fate) I've got a different plan to follow. It's nice when our kids are happy and successful despite the well intentioned but somewhat misguided efforts of the their parents.
A gem! With that Keep Your Promises Truth dropped in the middle. Loved this.
Thanks. I think that ex-pro ballplayer put it in perspective and improved the way I thought about my kids and they sports they played. None of them play sports now, so the lessons I hope they learned about being good people are more important than the lessons they learned about being good athletes.
And that you were awake enough to notice the activities your kids didn’t have to be asked to do. I remember when I realized my son had his own plan for his life, which did not match the plan I’d developed. And look… happy well adjusted kids!
As an umpire, you hit the nail on the head Lee (great name). I supervise umpires at local leagues and have asked more than one irate parent if they would like to join our ranks since they seem to know so much about it. They all refuse, one even saying he wouldn’t because he doesn’t like the parents yelling - which he as doing a bang up job of. 🤦♂️
I totally agree that we have great names. I also totally agree about parents being unreasonable. It's not all of them, but enough of them to make things uncomfortable for everybody else.
"Don Corleone. I am honored that you have asked me to your house this day to celebrate the marriage of your daughter. And may the first child be a masculine child, but not one who wants to play sports because you know Connie would slug an umpire for calling her child out." 😉😘
If I recall correctly there was a Sopranos episode where Tony was unhappy with his son's playing time. If I was Tony Soprano's son's coach, that kid would play whatever position he wanted to play just as long as he wanted to play it.