Comments on: Walking Cliche

By: In Which I Declare Dirty the New Clean » Teeny Manolo

In Which I Declare Dirty the New Clean » Teeny Manolo — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:04:32 +0000

[...] I have mentioned before, the Munchkin is playing T-ball this year. Nothing excites him more than being able to put on his [...]

By: raincoaster

raincoaster — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:34:35 +0000

Well, you did, you know.

Wasn’t this a Jack Black movie? It should be!

By: Jennie

Jennie — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 07:36:19 +0000

One of the punishments for needing money to attend college was the summer “scholarship” work program. I was assigned to be a playground supervisor for 4th to 8th graders. My job was to organize baseball games and various other sporting endeavors. This matched my background of musicals and Shakespearean theater to a tee. What I was not prepared for was the “sports parent” (don’t lay this on just the dads!) In those days, this was the parent who screamed at me to get the “retard” off the field and let their failed 4 grades neanderthalithic spawn play. (this included physical threats and references to “I know where you live”) I can’t say I was the strong, confidentially depressed, cynic that I am now. I use to go home in tears over the criticism and verbal abuse until my dear mother encouraged me to play on my strengths. So instead of practicing baseball that summer, I bribed all of the kids to secrecy and spent the summer rehearsing the Pirates of Pinanze. We sucked as a ball club but the last week of summer camp, we put on a mean musical. The looks on the parents’ faces when lumbering Johnny was capering up and down the stage was priceless. I actually had some parents later blame me for making their kid gay… Some experiences are priceless…

By: raincoaster

raincoaster — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 22:19:01 +0000

Thanks for the link! Best to warn them now…it gives you a couple of years to take judo first.

By: Emily

Emily — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 19:35:39 +0000

I linked to your blog on this one. My son turns 4 soon and those days are fast-approaching.

By: Approaching Little League « On Awesome Avenue

Approaching Little League « On Awesome Avenue — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 19:34:23 +0000

[...] I read this and had to link to it. And I tell you now, if a crazy-parent ever gets into my son’s face [...]

By: raincoaster

raincoaster — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 02:35:04 +0000

I remember competing in a nowhere/nothing skating competition when I was 12. There were four kids in the group and the ten-year-old came off the ice sobbing and collapsed into her mother’s arms crying, “I’m sorry! I’m SO SORRY!” because she hadn’t nailed the double lutz. I mean, we were all doing bunny hops. She went on to be a national-level skater at 15, in residential treatment for a breakdown by 17. Never skated again.

By: Ana

Ana — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 01:45:13 +0000

lol @ raincoaster’s peeing suggestion! I’m beginning to think there’s a rule that all kids sports have to have at least one. So too was one at Lil Man’s soccer practices last summer. Ugh!

By: Twistie

Twistie — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 00:23:39 +0000

I second Raincoaster’s excellent suggestion.

It’s one thing to communicate a love for an activity to your child. It’s quite another to push so hard the kid can start to wonder if they will still have the parent’s love if they don’t share the adoration of baseball/football/playing trombone/train watching.

My father played the violin as a child and insisted my brothers and I all take lessons. Not one of us can imagine picking up a violin again. Luckily for the world, this is a blessing because we all stank on ice at the violin.

By: raincoaster

raincoaster — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 16:51:54 +0000

It’s critical for the adults to set a sporting example for the children. Have you thought about peeing in his beer?