I have waited my entire life to take this picture! The idea of passing on one of my greatest passions to my children and watching them enjoy it as much as I do has flooded my mind for a VERY long time.
So you can imagine how excited I was to sign up my 4yr old for a week long soccer camp, how tears ran down my face at the joy of seeing this little guy all geared up - his excitement when we got there...
Then I realized maybe we should have signed him up for football. He kinda liked it the first day, then a little less the second day
By day three I could barley get him to participate. My parent's were even there to help out and watch their budding World Cup player.....and we all struggled with it! I think I especially struggled b/c Stephen is such and energetic active little guy and to watch him walk off the pitch and come sit down with me and refuse to play was very hard!
I did everything I could to hold back the inner athlete that wanted nothing more than to say "suck it up little guys, get out there and work hard!" But then I realized he was only 4!!!! I realized that this might not be his thing, or that it was WAY to much for him, and I needed to not be "that mama" that pushed things on him!!!
As my father reminded me, when my big brother was 4 or 5 he would hide matchbox cars in his soccer uniform and pull them out in the middle of a game and play cars on the pitch! LOL I can so see this happening. So Alan and I are holding back that inner coach, telling ourselves it doesn't matter what he is passionate about - just that we pray he finds something he is and we will support that!
2 comments:
You are such a good mama! I always wonder what I will do in those situations as the boys get older...good for you! Your kids are adorable:)!
Soccer may still be "his thing" but age 4 is certainly too young to tell. When my kids were that little, whether it was soccer or t-ball, mine weren't the only ones picking daisies and dissecting ant hills on the field while the game was being played. Now in their early teens, they all are passionate about soccer, and other sports. It comes with the kids' maturity, and a little patience on the parents' part.
Your instincts are right--hold back the "inner coach" and let him be 4. I still have regrets about pushing my eldest son into activities I thought were good for him but he wasn't ready for. How our first-borns survive is something of a mystery!
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