I know lots of people. I like lots of people, but I choose to sit alone at my kids’ sporting events. I am not being a snob or antisocial. Here’s why.
It’s Not You, It’s Me
I experience a full range of emotions while watching my kid play. Utter joy, complete embarrassment, and everything in between. My kid plays with intensity, and sometimes, okay, a lot, it’s overboard. As she is learning the game, she doesn’t always make the best decisions. I need to be alone to process, reflect, and make decisions on how to better parent her. And she needs a lot of parenting.
Wide Berth
My troupe needs space to move. Those kids you see sitting sweetly in a stroller for hours? Those ain’t mine. EVER. I have active kids who kick the crap out of the stranger in front of them. I always head for the open space at ball games so that we don’t annoy everyone around us.
Bad Influence
I get angry sometimes. And not at the refs. They are doing the best they can. I get hot and bothered about how badly other adults, sometimes even coaches, are acting. Let me be clear, no one is going pro here. There are no college signings after the game. I have a hard time holding my tongue when I see people get all crazy at an 8-year-old’s sporting event. You probably would be better off to not hear my foul diatribe or be associated with me.
Sometimes, It Is YouI
t’s not personal, but I don’t want to talk. Most nights and weekends, on my time away from school, I am trying to recharge. I need to give my heart time away from any heavy stuff. That includes any drama you may want to tell me about your kids or school.
Analyze This
I don’t want to talk strategy about the game. At this stage, we are concerned about skill development, not losing and winning. I have strong opinions about youth sports and that winning is not important. So why am I here watching and cringing as my daughter gets the first charge of her career at 10:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning? Because learning those lessons is necessary if she wants to play, and she wants to play soooo bad.
Shawn and I are here to support her and because we both feel that we benefited from youth sports. So in the stands is where I’ll be for a long time. But even if I don’t sit by you, I still like you. I swear.
Love,
Stef