Parents on the Sidelines

There’s a rumor running around that the real reason Rick invented the Under the Weather pod was to help protect the sane parents from the not-so-sane. Not true but I can personally attest that one benefit of a pod is zipping it all up to drown out the occasional inappropriate shout outs. We’ve all sat next to that parent at a game. Before the whistle blows they are a soft-spoken, mother of four. You make the usual small talk… I haven’t been home to cook dinner in fourteen straight days… I might need to get a second mortgage to help cover our next out-of-town tournament. The cost of our new uniforms, “Girl, don’t even get me started.”

After the whistle blows, however, this nice, quiet mother of four morphs into another being. Eyes glazed over, screaming displeasure with her own daughter’s performance and even that of her daughter’s teammates not to mention the coaches’ abilities or the “awful, just awful” young teen-aged referee. We knew all too well exactly how she was feeling on that glorious afternoon. It was sunny 72 degrees, the kind of day parents dream about as spectators. But that didn’t stop me from making the trek at halftime to get my pod. I set it up and zipped it up. The message was clear. I wasn’t in the mood to listen. And, that’s how this rumor began. 

I asked a few kids who played team sports throughout high school for their thoughts. None of them are parents just yet but they were glad to share the “Top 10” rules they plan on living by when they are.

1. Never talk to me or my coach about my playing time.
2. Do not tell me how to play this game. (I don’t care if you played and my coach already does this.)
3. Don’t yell at the referee.
4. Don’t yell at the coach.
5. Don’t yell at me.
6. Don’t yell period.
7. If you need to shout out, just say “Good job”
8. After the game it’s OK to say nothing about the game.
9. Don’t ask me what the coach said to us after the game.
10. Don’t tell me what I “need to work on”. Chances are, I know.

Final note: Most made a point of also saying how much they appreciated all we did for them. They may not all be thanking you just yet but it’s nice to know they probably will.