Chasing Butterflies

  How many of you have kids playing sports or kids involved in extra curricular activities?  How many years have they been involved and are they good at what they do?  Do you make the time to get out to all their games and/or performances?  They say kids thrive on impressing their parents, although I believe they thrive on being the first to spot an airplane flying over head or a four leaf clover on the field, at least until a certain age.
  I have one son, my oldest Jeff, playing ball hockey. One of my twins, Frack, playing t-ball and the other two, daughter Frick and twin Mutt, involved in a musical performance class along with Frack.  I do what I can to make it to all their events, knowing that it will not always be possible to see all of them all of the time.  What I do take in is the moments that only kids can bring to us.  For example, "how was music class everyone?" responded with "Dad, you didn't pack enough snacks for us" followed by an angry 3 year old giving me the stink eye and her brothers saying they didn't have fun.  That was 10 weeks ago and they have not complained since.  Of course I pack more snacks now.
  My oldest played ice hockey and now plays ball hockey and his biggest thing is "did you know -insert name of friend- plays on the other team?"  After discussing his role in the game he is spotted, the very next shift, chatting with his friend, oblivious to the ball in his feet.  And, after getting a goal he does not share excitement over scoring, but excitement over who the goalie was.  It's like Gretzky or Crosby scoring a Stanley Cup winning goal and telling TSN "Did you know the goalie was my old buddie, Billy, wow he played great."  There really is no care in the game at this age, with most kids, just pure fun in being with friends and playing.  I think I could learn a little from my kids.


I got it!

  My twin boy, Frack, just started playing t-ball and his greatest joy during his first game was throwing stones and teasing a girl standing on second base.  A girl and second base never happened to me until well into my teens and he is only 5 years old.  Once again something to learn from my kids.  The game itself is only fun if you are allowed to have your own kind of fun along the way.  For some that means discipline and routine, and for others that means chasing butterflies or talking to friends during the game.  No matter what your kids enjoy doing during their sports/activities leave them to their own personal enjoyments and let the coaches/teachers try to guide them.  The alternative is that they are at home picking on their siblings or driving you, the parent, crazy and I know, personally, butterflies can handle my kids better then I can most days.

  If I have a future star in my family he/she will have great stories to tell the tabloids about the road to their success and if they are not stars they will at least have great memories.  As for me, the parent, I prefer to come home from every game/event with a child that takes pride in discussing the bird flying inside the hockey arena even though he lost 5-1.  Or a daughter that says "I had no fun because I didn't get goldfish for a snack" and yet is heard singing a new song later in the day.

  I try to make as many events as possible for these moments as well as the moments when they actually realize what they are doing and have accomplished.  Cheering for a first goal or getting a tear when three of my kids perform on stage, these are all great moments and almost compare to the day a frog hopped on the soccer field.  Take pride no matter, as tomorrow your child grows up and the frog and the butterfly become distractions instead of wonder.