s/o - going to your kids' sports

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it strange when the entire family (mom, dad, siblings, sometimes even extended family) come to every game. Time is finite. Let the siblings go do something else.

+1. I know a family like this.

This is very normal in our community. We have a very tight knit community and the siblings play during games. It's actually really nice. You barely have to make much effort to get together with families because you see them so often and have strong relationships. I wouldn't trade that but everyone is different. I grew up like you and didn't have much of a community at all.

Your kids are still pretty young. Report back when they're older.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it strange when the entire family (mom, dad, siblings, sometimes even extended family) come to every game. Time is finite. Let the siblings go do something else.

+1. I know a family like this.

+2 I know many families like this and my kids are older too (young teen/tweens). I find it strange but to each their own.

Usually we divide and conquer. Same as a PP, there is one sport I hate attending (and the parents can be very obnoxious) - so I very rarely go to those. I know some of the other parents probably find it strange but I don’t really care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it strange when the entire family (mom, dad, siblings, sometimes even extended family) come to every game. Time is finite. Let the siblings go do something else.

+1. I know a family like this.

This is very normal in our community. We have a very tight knit community and the siblings play during games. It's actually really nice. You barely have to make much effort to get together with families because you see them so often and have strong relationships. I wouldn't trade that but everyone is different. I grew up like you and didn't have much of a community at all.

Your kids are still pretty young. Report back when they're older.

Yes the kids are in ES. What age are you talking about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it strange when the entire family (mom, dad, siblings, sometimes even extended family) come to every game. Time is finite. Let the siblings go do something else.

+1. I know a family like this.

This is very normal in our community. We have a very tight knit community and the siblings play during games. It's actually really nice. You barely have to make much effort to get together with families because you see them so often and have strong relationships. I wouldn't trade that but everyone is different. I grew up like you and didn't have much of a community at all.

Your kids are still pretty young. Report back when they're older.

My freshman and senior attend their sibling’s games when they don’t have a conflict, because we are a family and make an effort to show up for each other.

[Anonymous]

Watching kid/sibling sports activities can be fun outdoor activities in nice weather, during Fall and Spring.
Or in winter, a basketball game gets everyone out of the house but still indoors.
And it’s free or cheap!
And when grandparents/aunts/uncles visit - it’s a good family hang time too.
But it’s never a forced march

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it strange when the entire family (mom, dad, siblings, sometimes even extended family) come to every game. Time is finite. Let the siblings go do something else.

Maybe they enjoy it and they go somewhere fun right after the game. Maybe it’s the only time they can all be together so they make it a positive thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know families where situations dictate that this effectively is what happens. Mom is the team manager on Larlo's team and Dad coaches Larla's team so 95% of the time they go with the kid whose team they volunteer for. But on those 5% where there's no overlap they are always super grateful to be able to switch and show up for the other kid.

I also know people who divide the "task" by dropping off kids as young as 6 or 7 to be babysat by team personnel (who are, at this age, rec coach volunteers) while they go do something like golf. As a team mom, that was fun.

Really? If someone tried to get me to watch their child (without asking and clearing it with me first) I would spend the entire time texting that parent asking them to come back stat. I would then tell them that is a no go situation.

I haven’t done this. But if my kid has organized soccer from 10-11 with a group and there are coaches there then I don’t see anything wrong with dropping off and coming back.
Golf is a stretch, because of time, but running to the grocery store, I’d be ok with that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know families where situations dictate that this effectively is what happens. Mom is the team manager on Larlo's team and Dad coaches Larla's team so 95% of the time they go with the kid whose team they volunteer for. But on those 5% where there's no overlap they are always super grateful to be able to switch and show up for the other kid.

I also know people who divide the "task" by dropping off kids as young as 6 or 7 to be babysat by team personnel (who are, at this age, rec coach volunteers) while they go do something like golf. As a team mom, that was fun.

Are the 7 year olds on the team practicing or are they a sibling that they want the personnel to babysit.

The former situation is how all of the teams I coach operate. The parents aren’t off golfing, but most run some errands and then come back in 90 minutes. Many kids come in a carpool as well, so maybe that parent goes somewhere to do work calls or whatever.

What am I missing…isn’t that how things mostly work?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it strange when the entire family (mom, dad, siblings, sometimes even extended family) come to every game. Time is finite. Let the siblings go do something else.

+1. I know a family like this.

This is very normal in our community. We have a very tight knit community and the siblings play during games. It's actually really nice. You barely have to make much effort to get together with families because you see them so often and have strong relationships. I wouldn't trade that but everyone is different. I grew up like you and didn't have much of a community at all.

Your kids are still pretty young. Report back when they're older.

My freshman and senior attend their sibling’s games when they don’t have a conflict, because we are a family and make an effort to show up for each other.

+1 elementary age kids, if the kids don’t have a conflict they go to each other’s games. We support each other and want to be there for each other. Also, we both wouldn’t be able to go if we had to stay home and watch the sibling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anybody know people who divide this "task" by assigning each parent to a kid and basically mom goes to all of Larla's stuff and dad goes to all of Larlo's stuff? Am I the only one that finds this so strange?

I have two kids, a boy and a girl. My son plays soccer and lacrosse, usually the dad’s take their sons to practice and to games. For baseball games, the dads are on the field helping the kids. For this reason I send my husband with my son and I take my daughter to her activities. If my son has a game and there’s no conflict with daughter’s my schedule, my daughter and I will attend my son’s game. Unless my husband has a work conflict or is out of town, he is responsible for taking our son to his practices and games.

[Anonymous]

We divide and conquer and I think it's nice to spend time with each kid individually. Championship games and whatnot we try to all go to if there's no overlap. I know families who travel as a full unit. I even know people who attend friend's children's games...no thanks, but also no judgement, my family spends time together in other ways, the sports aren't always a priority for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know families where situations dictate that this effectively is what happens. Mom is the team manager on Larlo's team and Dad coaches Larla's team so 95% of the time they go with the kid whose team they volunteer for. But on those 5% where there's no overlap they are always super grateful to be able to switch and show up for the other kid.

I also know people who divide the "task" by dropping off kids as young as 6 or 7 to be babysat by team personnel (who are, at this age, rec coach volunteers) while they go do something like golf. As a team mom, that was fun.

Are the 7 year olds on the team practicing or are they a sibling that they want the personnel to babysit.

The former situation is how all of the teams I coach operate. The parents aren’t off golfing, but most run some errands and then come back in 90 minutes. Many kids come in a carpool as well, so maybe that parent goes somewhere to do work calls or whatever.

What am I missing…isn’t that how things mostly work?

It's a volunteer intensive sport, so if at least half the parents don't stick around it doesn't go real well, especially at that age. And the cultural norm is that parents are there, even through high school.

Even at 10 there's one kid who always gets dropped of this season (not sure what parents are out doing) and she's a nightmare when she's on the bench to the other players. You can almost always tell the kids who know they aren't a priority to their parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know families where situations dictate that this effectively is what happens. Mom is the team manager on Larlo's team and Dad coaches Larla's team so 95% of the time they go with the kid whose team they volunteer for. But on those 5% where there's no overlap they are always super grateful to be able to switch and show up for the other kid.

I also know people who divide the "task" by dropping off kids as young as 6 or 7 to be babysat by team personnel (who are, at this age, rec coach volunteers) while they go do something like golf. As a team mom, that was fun.

Are the 7 year olds on the team practicing or are they a sibling that they want the personnel to babysit.

The former situation is how all of the teams I coach operate. The parents aren’t off golfing, but most run some errands and then come back in 90 minutes. Many kids come in a carpool as well, so maybe that parent goes somewhere to do work calls or whatever.

What am I missing…isn’t that how things mostly work?

It's a volunteer intensive sport, so if at least half the parents don't stick around it doesn't go real well, especially at that age. And the cultural norm is that parents are there, even through high school.

Even at 10 there's one kid who always gets dropped of this season (not sure what parents are out doing) and she's a nightmare when she's on the bench to the other players. You can almost always tell the kids who know they aren't a priority to their parents.

I get it…I coach as young as 8. I still don’t understand. I don’t expect parents to stick around for the kids practicing.

We have sufficient volunteer coaches to handle 12-15 kids (baseball).

I don’t care if they do, but I honestly don’t even pay attention to who is hanging around. I would guess 75% of parents don’t hang around.

[Anonymous]

We do. We have a boy and a girl. They often have sports conflicts. The boy wants dad at his games, and the girl wants mom at her stuff. We didn't intend things to turn out this way, but they have a lot conflicts. If there are no conflicts, we both go to games, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know families where situations dictate that this effectively is what happens. Mom is the team manager on Larlo's team and Dad coaches Larla's team so 95% of the time they go with the kid whose team they volunteer for. But on those 5% where there's no overlap they are always super grateful to be able to switch and show up for the other kid.

I also know people who divide the "task" by dropping off kids as young as 6 or 7 to be babysat by team personnel (who are, at this age, rec coach volunteers) while they go do something like golf. As a team mom, that was fun.

Are the 7 year olds on the team practicing or are they a sibling that they want the personnel to babysit.

The former situation is how all of the teams I coach operate. The parents aren’t off golfing, but most run some errands and then come back in 90 minutes. Many kids come in a carpool as well, so maybe that parent goes somewhere to do work calls or whatever.

What am I missing…isn’t that how things mostly work?

It's a volunteer intensive sport, so if at least half the parents don't stick around it doesn't go real well, especially at that age. And the cultural norm is that parents are there, even through high school.

Even at 10 there's one kid who always gets dropped of this season (not sure what parents are out doing) and she's a nightmare when she's on the bench to the other players. You can almost always tell the kids who know they aren't a priority to their parents.

I get it…I coach as young as 8. I still don’t understand. I don’t expect parents to stick around for the kids practicing.

We have sufficient volunteer coaches to handle 12-15 kids (baseball).

I don’t care if they do, but I honestly don’t even pay attention to who is hanging around. I would guess 75% of parents don’t hang around.

It’s actually pretty rare for parents to hang around at practices in the sports we play. Not sure we’d want them there if they did—it usually helps kids focus when their parents aren’t at practice.

But games are different—there’s usually at least one parent there. It really is a community activity, but one without a stigma if you don’t make it to a game, a least for us.