Parenting My Student Athlete

People warned me.  I smiled, took their warning in stride and went on my merry way.  I now readily admit that they were right - Parenting is not easy.  Each milestone or activity brings a new set of twist and turns to navigate.

One of the situations is that of being a parent of a student athlete when the going gets rough.  I am a yeller.  I am a cheerer.  I am a 'let's analyze how that went' kind of person when it comes to sports.  I am slowly but surely learning that my immediate role as a parent is none of the above types of persons.  My role is to be a parent first.  Not only that as a parent, but being the parent that particular child needs at that particular time.

Sure, I can cheer at games.  I can yell a "good job."  I can help analyze plays or putts- LATER.  NOT immediately after the situation.

My kid knows he played poorly without my letting him know that.  He knows how many turnovers he had.  He knows how many par shots he blew.  He knows. . . he doesn't need me to verify.

He doesn't need me to go over every tee shot that was great for the day.  How rebounds he might have had.  He doesn't need me to  talk over and over about the awesome chip in.

However, he also doesn't need to be coddled.  It is his sport. . . his game. . . his round.  So, we don't need DQ Blizzards just because he did poorly and is grumpy.  Or because he shot his best round ever.  I am finally learning that what he needs is SILENCE. . . Golden Silence!  A pat on the back, an I love you and then leave him alone.  For a yeller/cheerer/someone who talks when there is awkward silence - this is hard.

I am trying to let him be.  Let him sit in it.  Let him have time to think it all through.  Then, we can talk.  Then we can analyze.  It doesn't take long, he is always ready to talk after a short time of thinking about the day's experiences.  He just needs time to process the good and/or bad and I just need to learn the fine art of being silent.

Someone get me some duct tape quick!  Being silent is NOT as easy as it sounds!

Gardening Update

Check out this salad Lizzie made and ate (yes, the ENTIRE thing)!  That is lettuce from our garden.

Now, we are fighting with the rabbits. I apologize in advance to any bunny lovers out there, however, we are hoping Sadie gets a few soon!  She loves the chase and kill.  And now that they have been gnoshing on my brussel sprouts and other veggies - I want them gone!  I may just have get the pellet gun out and go all "Elmer Fudd" on them!  

An Evening at the Playground

Tonight was a beautiful night.  I took Jake, Lizzie and a friend to the playground at school.  They had a great time.  Jake helped me keep track of the kids and they enjoyed chasing him around.  

We actually took a picnic dinner, but everyone was too busy playing to eat.  To top the evening off, all the kids were amazed that I could swing as I high as I did!  

We took a little break for some pictures in the tree

Lizzie got stuck in the middle. . . she was pumping those legs hard, but she just couldn't make it!

New Bike

Lizzie outgrew her bike and it was time for a new one.  In actuality, she probably outgrew it in the fall and we just pushed it this far.

Saturday, she and I went "bike shopping."  We found the perfect bike and she is loving it.  At first, she was a little concerned because it is much bigger than her old bike.  However, she has done great on it and has not had any problems.

RADISHES!!

I am so excited. . . I harvested radishes from the garden tonight.  I LOVE radishes and, as I have said before, am super excited about having a garden!

Relay For Life 2013

Saturday evening, Mahomet hosted a Mini Relay for Life.  The event lasted from 6 pm until midnight. 

 The first lap of the night is the Survivor Lap.  Those who are currently fighting or have fought this awful disease walk.  I cry every time I witness a Survivor Lap.  In that group I see co-workers, neighbors, friends and many more.  The next lap is the caregiver lap.  Anyone who has cared for someone as they battled cancer is encouraged to walk.  Again, tears stream as I watch this group pass.  Some have lost those they cared for.  Others are walking with the one they cared for.   

 A friend makes a luminaria in memory of her dad.   I left before they were lit, but have heard it was a beautiful ceremony.  Someone played bagpipes and everyone walked a lap as they were lit.  

Lizzie and her friend, M.  I think this is their third Relay together!

All "Freshman Advisories" were encouraged to have teams.  It was a great way to get the students involved.  Zach and his friend, C, would NOT let me take their picture.  They would either look away and smile or look at me and scowl!  

Zach said the lighting of the luminarias and the bagpipe lap was pretty powerful.  It is good for these students to see and get involved in an event like this.  Many of the students have family members who are fighting cancer currently or have in the past.  Some have lost parents to the disease.  

Relay for Life used to be something I just "did."  But as I get older, I realize just how many people I know have been diagnosed with this disease - my grandpa, friends, co-workers, other family members, friend's family members, the list goes on and on.  I am no longer naive enough to believe that this is someone else's disease.  This disease touches everyone in some way.  

How Does Your Garden Grown?

I am super geek excited about our garden this year.  We are planting more than we did last year.  Last year was our first foray into the gardening world.  This year, we are planting more things.  The cool thing?  They are coming up!  They are growing!!

Random picture of Jacob playing baseball in the rain!

Radishes!!!

Romaine Lettuce!

Brussel Sprouts!!!