I'm embarrassed to admit , I wasn't all too keen on the Fathers and Sons camping trip this year. I'm not sure why, but I just had a little attitude about it. Nothing vocal, nothing major, just something inside.
Until I started explaining to Andrew that he was going to be going camping with his dad. Just to make sure because it had been a while, I asked, "You know what camping is?" "Camping is wif a tent!" And he was so excited. He really couldn't talk about anything else. "I'm going to sweep in a tent with daddy!"
Natalie of course wanted to go too. "I go too?" "I sweep in a tent too, mom?" I felt so bad for her when I explained that only Andrew was going with dad, but that we were going to do something REALLY fun at home.
Andrew was sweet and said, "Natalie can come too mom! James can stay with you."
The departure time was pretty much heart wrenching. Not for Andrew, who was grinning from ear to ear sitting in daddy's car waiting to leave. But for Natalie, who was also sitting in daddy's car waiting to leave and who sobbed like I have never seen her sob for a good 20 to 30 minutes after we pulled out of the driveway and left daddy's "filfer" (silver) car behind.
She was devastated. She wanted to go so badly. And I thought, what about Fathers and Daughters?! Or Fathers and Kids?!
I arrived at our girls' night destination and finally got her to calm down a little bit and soon she was smiling, eating pizza, painting her toenails pink, playing with the other kids, and swinging on one of the best tree swings ever. And I realized that I was on "Mothers and Daughters" and that that was just as fun and just as important. The only reason she will feel like she is missing out is if I feel like she is missing out.
And then there was the return from Fathers and Sons. My son came home a very happy boy. He loved every minute of it. And I realized how important that Fathers and Sons experience really is.
John and Andrew came home in time to get Andrew on the soccer field about 10 minutes late for his game (John came running from the car with Andrew in his underwear to where I was on the field with Andrew's uniform waiting) and it was his best game ever. He was actually in there kicking the ball! And I couldn't help but think that the father-son time had been a part of that.
**I would post a picture of Andrew and John at Fathers and Sons or of me and Natalie hanging out with friends that night, but I gave John the camera to take so I didn't have it and he came back without one picture!
And another note--too bad I missed almost all of Andrew's best game ever. I got to the game and realized that I had treats for the game. I ran and got some, but missed the game. I did get to see some of the action before I left. Note to self--write treat assignments on the calendar when you write the game times down.
Showing posts with label soccer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label soccer. Show all posts
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Rite of Passage
It was inevitable. If not this year, the next.
John did it, I did it, and now it's Andrew's turn. His turn to don his mini shin guards (so stinkin' cute!) and cleats. His turn to follow the pack of kids around and occasionally catch sight of the ball.
I had great expectations. I mean, I've heard of John's amazing athletic feats on the soccer field. And I wasn't so bad myself. If you don't count the first year I played and held hands with my best friend any time we were in together.
I pictured Andrew outrunning the rest of the pack, scoring a goal or two, with his adoring fans cheering on the sideline.
The first practice went pretty well and by the end of it, Andrew wasn't using his hands any more. The coach threatened push ups for anyone caught touching the ball with his hands. I don't know if Andrew had a clue what push ups are, but he stopped using his hands. Andrew was enjoying running and kicking the ball into the goal even more than I thought he would.
Toward the end of practice, the coach called all 5 team members together and explained that their uniforms were green and that they needed to come up with a team name. He asked, "What is green?" Nobody was answering, so he said, "Andrew?" Andrew piped up, "Grass!" Sure enough, grass is green, but for some reason the coach liked Leapfrogs and The Green Giants better.
Then they had a vote. Andrew voted for Leapfrogs, another kid voted for the Green Giants and two kids voted for their recommendations, respectively. That left Jake, the tie-braker. The coach asked Jake what he thought. Shoulder shrug. After a little pressure to pick one, he went with the Green Giants, so that's what we cheer for at the games.
Based on the practices, I figured the first game would be one of glory for my boy. But, it wasn't quite what I pictured. First, I got the game time wrong. Instead of 10:45, I thought the game started at 10:00 (ALL the remaining games start at 10). Not great to have all three little ones to a soccer game 45 minutes early. I think Andrew was done before the game started. Second, only three kids play on each side, so two sit out. Andrew did not like being told to sit down when the game was starting. Third, Andrew expected that everyone else should stop and move out of his way so he could get a turn at kicking the ball. He spent the game crying, screaming, throwing a fit because it just wasn't going his way.
But he loved the treat at the end of the game. And the "parent tunnel" he got to run through.
As we were walking to the car he remarked, "I don't want those blue boys to come next time." The other team had been wearing blue.
Last Saturday was his third game. And what an improvement. No crying or screaming or fit-throwing. Hooray! Granted, he really doesn't get the game yet. He seems to think he's running in the back of a line. He lets everybody and the ball run past before he falls into line. And then he seemed to be walking a lot.
Unfortunately on Saturday, my behavior needed improvement. Nothing major. I just felt like I needed to "instruct" my four-year-old-first-time-soccer-player from the sideline because he wasn't Pele by his third game. "Run fast!" "Get the ball, Andrew!" "Go get it with your feet!" were some of the "instructions" I called out to him.
As I look back, I might as well have been calling out to him "You're too slow!" "You aren't doing what you are supposed to!" But no more. He is four. And soccer is for fun. And I want Andrew to think that it doesn't get any better than him. If we want to practice at home, for fun, fine. But all he is going to hear from me at the game is "Great job!" and "You are awesome!!"
Here is Andrew warming up at his first game. He has to get the ball just right. Look at how great he knows he is!! And the second clip is from last Saturday. If you keep watching you can see him wait for everyone to run by before he follows.
Natalie somehow connived a chair just her size from somebody from the other team. She also managed to keep a steady stream of orange wedges coming from a random person. This girl has skills.
John did it, I did it, and now it's Andrew's turn. His turn to don his mini shin guards (so stinkin' cute!) and cleats. His turn to follow the pack of kids around and occasionally catch sight of the ball.
I had great expectations. I mean, I've heard of John's amazing athletic feats on the soccer field. And I wasn't so bad myself. If you don't count the first year I played and held hands with my best friend any time we were in together.I pictured Andrew outrunning the rest of the pack, scoring a goal or two, with his adoring fans cheering on the sideline.
The first practice went pretty well and by the end of it, Andrew wasn't using his hands any more. The coach threatened push ups for anyone caught touching the ball with his hands. I don't know if Andrew had a clue what push ups are, but he stopped using his hands. Andrew was enjoying running and kicking the ball into the goal even more than I thought he would.Toward the end of practice, the coach called all 5 team members together and explained that their uniforms were green and that they needed to come up with a team name. He asked, "What is green?" Nobody was answering, so he said, "Andrew?" Andrew piped up, "Grass!" Sure enough, grass is green, but for some reason the coach liked Leapfrogs and The Green Giants better.
Then they had a vote. Andrew voted for Leapfrogs, another kid voted for the Green Giants and two kids voted for their recommendations, respectively. That left Jake, the tie-braker. The coach asked Jake what he thought. Shoulder shrug. After a little pressure to pick one, he went with the Green Giants, so that's what we cheer for at the games.
Based on the practices, I figured the first game would be one of glory for my boy. But, it wasn't quite what I pictured. First, I got the game time wrong. Instead of 10:45, I thought the game started at 10:00 (ALL the remaining games start at 10). Not great to have all three little ones to a soccer game 45 minutes early. I think Andrew was done before the game started. Second, only three kids play on each side, so two sit out. Andrew did not like being told to sit down when the game was starting. Third, Andrew expected that everyone else should stop and move out of his way so he could get a turn at kicking the ball. He spent the game crying, screaming, throwing a fit because it just wasn't going his way.
But he loved the treat at the end of the game. And the "parent tunnel" he got to run through.
As we were walking to the car he remarked, "I don't want those blue boys to come next time." The other team had been wearing blue.
Last Saturday was his third game. And what an improvement. No crying or screaming or fit-throwing. Hooray! Granted, he really doesn't get the game yet. He seems to think he's running in the back of a line. He lets everybody and the ball run past before he falls into line. And then he seemed to be walking a lot.Unfortunately on Saturday, my behavior needed improvement. Nothing major. I just felt like I needed to "instruct" my four-year-old-first-time-soccer-player from the sideline because he wasn't Pele by his third game. "Run fast!" "Get the ball, Andrew!" "Go get it with your feet!" were some of the "instructions" I called out to him.
As I look back, I might as well have been calling out to him "You're too slow!" "You aren't doing what you are supposed to!" But no more. He is four. And soccer is for fun. And I want Andrew to think that it doesn't get any better than him. If we want to practice at home, for fun, fine. But all he is going to hear from me at the game is "Great job!" and "You are awesome!!"
Here is Andrew warming up at his first game. He has to get the ball just right. Look at how great he knows he is!! And the second clip is from last Saturday. If you keep watching you can see him wait for everyone to run by before he follows.
Natalie somehow connived a chair just her size from somebody from the other team. She also managed to keep a steady stream of orange wedges coming from a random person. This girl has skills.
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