Why do people brag about their kids not practicing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid doesn't practice. He's the best hitter on his 10U team. He's also the best shooter on his basketball team and the best running back on his football team.

My biggest fear is he will be lazy and it will catch up to him.

Natural athleticism eventually runs its course—especially if you live in a competitive area. DS was that way too. But then boys started puberty/growing and getting stronger. Plus the kids who were just okay but had been working hard, got better. DS eventually figured it out and he’s competitive so that helped motivate him to start working a bit harder outside of practice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m pretty close with the other moms on my son’s baseball team. They have an upcoming tryout. My son has been practicing for it and I mentioned it and multiple people have laughed and said “Oh Larlo hasn’t picked up a bat for months”
Why is it bragging rights not to practice?

If you read The Preppy Handbook or Class it's not a surprise.

Effortless success has been part of old WASP culture for decades and has trickled down into our society as a Thing To Be Valued.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid doesn't practice. He's the best hitter on his 10U team. He's also the best shooter on his basketball team and the best running back on his football team.

My biggest fear is he will be lazy and it will catch up to him.

My kids' pitching coach (softball) said the smaller kids often become the best because they have to grind early on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My kids' pitching coach (softball) said the smaller kids often become the best because they have to grind early on.

That's just something they tell you because they want you to keep paying for lessons.

What are they going to say? Your kid sucks and will never be good because they aren't athletic?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Where does his age fall?

January

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You're upset because you now feel inferior - your kid is not as talented, he needed to work harder for something others do effortlessly.
Well maybe your son, by honing all his techniques, will end up a better athlete in the future. Or maybe he won't, but he'll learn the value of practice for other subjects, academic or otherwise. Or maybe all this practice is worthless.

It doesn't matter as much as you think, OP.

He is also the youngest, he always has to practice and will all the way through with no age advantage. Puberty hopefully will help him later on because he is supposed to be a big kid and dad played D1 baseball.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Where does his age fall?

January

Age is a factor. Be happy your son is in the middle. Kids with an age disadvantage always need to step it up at try outs because they are going against older children. My son is May and trying out with the year ahead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My kids' pitching coach (softball) said the smaller kids often become the best because they have to grind early on.

That's just something they tell you because they want you to keep paying for lessons.

What are they going to say? Your kid sucks and will never be good because they aren't athletic?

The kid who was going to lessons at the time is tall and built like a prototypical pitcher, so...no. Coach might have been trying to convince DH to bring the younger sibling who is short and always gets complimented on her work ethic to lessons though .

[Anonymous]

A lot of the smaller kids end up being bigger after puberty too. You really cannot tell in elemetary school and if you are counting on your kid who doesn't practice to be at the top all the way through, it won't happen. ES is one thing but if you are in any competitive environment, it will be the kids with natural genetic builds + athleticism + work ethic.

[Anonymous]

I have said this before about my son. I have a tall, relatively athletic son and I think people expect he's going to be much more competitive than he is. He really just does sports for fun to be with his friends and because we think he should stay active. He has other non-sports things he loves and is passionate about. For me, I think it's also to make the point that sports is not everything to everyone despite the US being a pretty sports-obsessed culture. Especially for boys, there is just this assumption they all love sports and that's their thing. Can't tell you the number of adults that ask him what sport he plays. (As opposed to what do you enjoy doing or something like that.)

But I appreciate hearing OP's perspective and can see how this comment could land the wrong way. So something to think about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have said this before about my son. I have a tall, relatively athletic son and I think people expect he's going to be much more competitive than he is. He really just does sports for fun to be with his friends and because we think he should stay active. He has other non-sports things he loves and is passionate about. For me, I think it's also to make the point that sports is not everything to everyone despite the US being a pretty sports-obsessed culture. Especially for boys, there is just this assumption they all love sports and that's their thing. Can't tell you the number of adults that ask him what sport he plays. (As opposed to what do you enjoy doing or something like that.)

But I appreciate hearing OP's perspective and can see how this comment could land the wrong way. So something to think about.

The team is a travel team, 10U. Is he doing select travel teams? Usually kids who just do it for fun stick with less competitive teams. If you’re saying you just do it for fun but it’s also a competitive select team, I ask why? it’s a lot of commitment and expense for the whole family if it’s not his thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
The team is a travel team, 10U. Is he doing select travel teams? Usually kids who just do it for fun stick with less competitive teams. If you’re saying you just do it for fun but it’s also a competitive select team, I ask why? it’s a lot of commitment and expense for the whole family if it’s not his thing.

Such a weird post.

If you're not playing a sport for fun, then why are you playing it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The team is a travel team, 10U. Is he doing select travel teams? Usually kids who just do it for fun stick with less competitive teams. If you’re saying you just do it for fun but it’s also a competitive select team, I ask why? it’s a lot of commitment and expense for the whole family if it’s not his thing.

Such a weird post.

If you're not playing a sport for fun, then why are you playing it?

Meaning they don’t care at all about sports or the competition. That’s what she said. No need to pay thousands and travel if you’re not into it.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't read that as a brag. I would think the other parent felt insecure and tried to brush it off, like, oh haha, not my kid.

Doesn't really matter though, good on your kid for putting in effort.

[Anonymous]

You hate it when they work too hard you hate it when they work too little.