Soccer Moms & Dads

First things first. I lost Sunday to Tx. A@M @ Commerce. A good team in our conference but still never good to lose! I did however win all three of my fantasy league games. Ohio State won on Sat. and the Bengals and Cowboys won on Sunday! I still have hope as a winner.
So I'm watching Evan's soccer game on Saturday and its under 8 soccer. I'm watching the parents on our team, Imagine that - I don't sit next to the other parents. First of all soccer parents (actually any competitive situation you put parents in) are flat out sad and funny. You see, my faithful reader, there are a few rules to parents watching games.

Rule number 1 - "I want to be happy and I want my Child happy!" "This requires playing time." Hence the rule - Coaches must play my child! I have heard a number of times "how can my child get better by sitting on the bench, they need to play as much as possible."

Rule number 2 - "If my child is happy with not playing than he/she is psycho and they need to listen to me to be happy." Some Children just don't understand the concept that achieveing at all costs at a young age is essential! This is a little over blown but I have heard - "Coach we need to be patient they haven't really developed their competitive spirit."

Rule number 3 - "Who cares about winning or playing well, my child better be in that game because" - see rule number 1.

Rule number 4 - "I know my child will make mistakes but I am the only one that needs to point that out." I don't care what parents say, they get a little ruffled when a coach yells at their child.

Rule number 5 - "I reserve the right to act any way possible to protect my child." You have to understand that parents will frame anything that happens negatively to their child to invest their own emotions. "Coach you don't understand that not playing is actually hurting my child." or when I was younger "Coach someday you will understand - when you have kids of your own"

Hey everyone listen - I have actually felt some of these things - never voiced them though. Its hard being a parent and and trying to nurture/protect our kids from harm. We are people with a sin nature. I want to have my children achieve great things! That may be selfish but its true. Maybe it will make me feel better about myself or maybe I actually want them to be happy. I haven't figured that out yet.

Later