the bittersweet cast removal

The youngster's cast came off two days ago, and yes, life is better! He can finally wash that arm, and it has been needing it for weeks. It also makes it easier to do a lot of things, and makes life more fun. He and I have been playing catch non-stop (or 'till dad gets tired) in the evenings the last two nights.

The problem - baseball. His baseball team is good....very good. They only lost two games this season (which he is quick to point out happened after he was out with a broken wrist) and finished the season in first place. Now they are having playoffs, and he desparately wants to play. He cried when the doctor told him he could throw, catch and hit, but no actual games for a month. He said if he falls on it wrong or runs it into somebody, there's a 20% chance he could break it in the same place. A month from now though, win or lose, the season will be over. The first game is tonight, and I think we'll let him practice with the team, even though he can't play. Then this weekend he has a lesson with a high school coach, and maybe, if his team wins tonight and plays next week, and things go well in practice and with his lesson, we'll let him play next week. It would be against my better judgement, but how many times in your "little boy" life is your team one of the best and doing well in playoffs, and I don't want to deprive him of being an active part of that. Now, if they lose tonight, I suppose the point is moot, but if they win.......

So I'm living the emotional conflict. On one hand, I feel stupid for saying he can play because of the possible consequences, but on the other, I feel guilty for saying he can't because this is an opportunity he'll never get back.