opening day
Tomorrow starts the little league season for the youngster and the Braves. Maybe it's just perception, but it's coming awfully fast this year. We've barely had a month of practice, and missed the first week of that because of badge/security issues, and the youngster was sick for another week, so I don't know if he cares at all, but I'm feeling like he's a bit under-prepared.
Yeah, I know it's just a dad thing. He just wants to go play ball and really doesn't give a damn about how prepared he is, or how the team plays together. He just wants to have fun. It's dad who worries about him holding up his part of the deal, and meshing with everyone to turn the double play and all that. It's kind of funny. When it all comes together like that...when he drops the suicide squeeze bunt or turns two, he gets this huge grin, but he doesn't worry about how often that might happen. It's dad who wants to see him grin like that as much as possible.
There, I think, is a common misconception. I think some parents push their kids because they think if they do well, its a reflection on them, but I don't think that's a majority. I know no matter what the youngster does in baseball, it's no reflection on me. I've learned a little since he started playing, but I'm no baseball expert and I played all of one season of tee ball as a kid. We did too much moving around for me to get involved anywhere. I push him because I want him to have some things I never did, and this is one of them. I want him to have that grin, and have it a lot. Heck, a year from now it won't matter to me how well he does, but ten years from now I want him to have the memories of having a good time being a good little baseball player, even if whatever he's doing has nothing to do with baseball...so for now, we play catch, and I hit him grounders, like thousands of other dads. Not because I think it'll mean anything to me (except the fun of playing with my kid), but because I hope someday it means something to him.
I guess...does anybody remember the old Harry Chapin song, "Cats in the Cradle"? (Yes, I know I'm dating myself again.) I promised myself long ago that I wouldn't grow up to be that kind of dad. I'm keeping that promise.
Yeah, I know it's just a dad thing. He just wants to go play ball and really doesn't give a damn about how prepared he is, or how the team plays together. He just wants to have fun. It's dad who worries about him holding up his part of the deal, and meshing with everyone to turn the double play and all that. It's kind of funny. When it all comes together like that...when he drops the suicide squeeze bunt or turns two, he gets this huge grin, but he doesn't worry about how often that might happen. It's dad who wants to see him grin like that as much as possible.
There, I think, is a common misconception. I think some parents push their kids because they think if they do well, its a reflection on them, but I don't think that's a majority. I know no matter what the youngster does in baseball, it's no reflection on me. I've learned a little since he started playing, but I'm no baseball expert and I played all of one season of tee ball as a kid. We did too much moving around for me to get involved anywhere. I push him because I want him to have some things I never did, and this is one of them. I want him to have that grin, and have it a lot. Heck, a year from now it won't matter to me how well he does, but ten years from now I want him to have the memories of having a good time being a good little baseball player, even if whatever he's doing has nothing to do with baseball...so for now, we play catch, and I hit him grounders, like thousands of other dads. Not because I think it'll mean anything to me (except the fun of playing with my kid), but because I hope someday it means something to him.
I guess...does anybody remember the old Harry Chapin song, "Cats in the Cradle"? (Yes, I know I'm dating myself again.) I promised myself long ago that I wouldn't grow up to be that kind of dad. I'm keeping that promise.
John put this out here at 12:10 PM
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