And you have to admit it that a bit of pride swells up in you while you simultaneously wonder where in the heck they got any athletic skills. Cause let me tell you, it wasn't from us (sorry, Brian, gotta be real on this one).
This is Noah.
He loves the game.
And not afraid to bring interesting fashion choices to the court.
He'll find a way to get open.
He's there at the ready when his team needs him (usually when another kid takes a ball in the face)
He'll take any shot he can.
Unless there is no shot to take. And then he'll do what the other dad called his "Globetrotter move" and fake pass it down low.
This is Noah. And he loves the game.
And all of this last night got me thinking. After my post the other day, I had a reader make a really great comment. She said:
"I have all sorts of thoughts about this which I have tried to compose and share with you. When we were trying to figure out my oldest son's academic path, I saw a lot of similarities between myself pushing for him to be accelerated and the sports parents pushing for their children to be in advanced groups. The main difference in the end was that our society is more accepting of accelerating kids in athletics. It doesn't take as kindly to moving kids ahead academically. That is seen as showing off and very few people saw the irony in the double standard. Ultimately, I backed off because I wasn't seeing the drive or desire coming forth from my kid. I hope that would hold true for any undertaking (athletic or academic) my children attempt. I do have to remind myself and my husband at times, that our kids are not us and will have different talents and interests then we do. And that's okay!"
I thought this was such a great point. And also pointed out an interesting double standard in our society. Pushing kids (to a point) in athletics is considered normal, healthy and helpful. Competition is good.
Sure, there is near universal disdain for the obnoxious dad or mom or coach who is out there screaming at the kids, but that it not what I am talking about. I am talking about the level of support and admiration you see for people who take their kids to traveling meets, or have kids who excel in sports, or make all kinds of family sacrifices for the sake of the sport.
Push (or encourage) them in the arts and you get called a stage mom and often get told you are trying to live your life through them. Competition is not considered good. Feelings might get hurt.
And even worse, pushing academics. Competition is considered bad.
I hear this a lot, actually. Our older boys happen to go to a school that you test to get into. Now, don't get me wrong. It's not that we think our kids are geniuses. But they are smart and curious and we felt that the environment in their school was a good fit for them.
But it's amazing how often people hear that and make comments like, "Reaaaallly? Like how do they really determine that?" or "I mean, that is kind of subjective, isn't it?" Or, "Aren't all kids really gifted and talented?" Or, my favorite, "Don't you worry about how competitive the other kids are?"
It always strikes me as odd. Again, I am not saying my kids are any different or better than anyone's elses. I do think all kids are gifted and talented. But if someone talked about putting their kid in a traveling hockey team, would anyone really say to them? "Oh reaaaallly, do you think they are that much better than the other kids?" Or "Don't you worry about how competitive it is?" No, we'd all probably say something like, "Wow! They must be pretty good!"
My point is, again, that moderation is good. You find what your kids love and help encourage them to succeed in it. And I'd encourage all of us, myself included, to try to keep that in the back of our minds. That's all we are all, I hope, really doing. Trying to give our kids the tools and support they need to succeed and be happy. But moderation and balance are good.
Even though, for one night, having a Globetrotter was kind of fun.
