What do travel sports obsessed parents do after the youngest kid goes off to college?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is a D1 athlete so we travel all of Spring to see him play.

But I learned to play piano, hike, play pickleball, do yoga, paint, steam a ton.

I also travel every other weekend to visit siblings, roommate from college, go to friends beach houses/lake house, travel for weddings (3 this year)

I did a 3 week cross country trip over the summer with a friend from HS.

I also work full time and volunteer mentoring people to interview for jobs.

Steam what??

Stream… shows

Just watch West wing for the 1st time amazing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Travel parents really vary. I have 2 on travel teams and consider the whole thing a nuisance- but a necessary evil if a kid wants to play their sport in high school. Neither of mine has any chance to play or desire to play in college. Just high school. We aren’t “into it” as parents at all- often don’t even attend in town games, & we take turns taking them to out of town tournaments. We are polite to the other parents and make an appearance at “social stuff” once in awhile and don’t stay long. We have other kids and other things to do. I’d say 1/3 to 1/2 of the other parents are like us.

The rest- yes- are obsessed and make it into their family lifestyle and the center of their social world. Whole family attends every game and tournament, lots of parent socialization, usually a ton of drinking etc. I find it a bit unhealthy TBH (and often feel really sorry for the siblings of the players- maybe they’d like to do something else once in awhile?? ) but to each their own. I would imagine the parents in this group will have a hard time transition after travel sports end, yes.

Yes. Some people are really into it. A lot of partying and drinking with other families and I also feel bad for the siblings or sometimes I’ve seen it’s always one parent with the kid who is very enmeshed and then sibling and other parents are just home a lot.

I hated it and couldn’t wait for it to end. So no hard time transitioning for me.

What sport is this? We never partied with other parents on our kids’ teams. Just chatted on the sidelines or in the hotel at tournaments. Also, I’ve never heard of whole families (including other siblings) going to tournaments. At most, one parent would go.

Hockey and swimming

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Travel parents really vary. I have 2 on travel teams and consider the whole thing a nuisance- but a necessary evil if a kid wants to play their sport in high school. Neither of mine has any chance to play or desire to play in college. Just high school. We aren’t “into it” as parents at all- often don’t even attend in town games, & we take turns taking them to out of town tournaments. We are polite to the other parents and make an appearance at “social stuff” once in awhile and don’t stay long. We have other kids and other things to do. I’d say 1/3 to 1/2 of the other parents are like us.

The rest- yes- are obsessed and make it into their family lifestyle and the center of their social world. Whole family attends every game and tournament, lots of parent socialization, usually a ton of drinking etc. I find it a bit unhealthy TBH (and often feel really sorry for the siblings of the players- maybe they’d like to do something else once in awhile?? ) but to each their own. I would imagine the parents in this group will have a hard time transition after travel sports end, yes.

Yes. Some people are really into it. A lot of partying and drinking with other families and I also feel bad for the siblings or sometimes I’ve seen it’s always one parent with the kid who is very enmeshed and then sibling and other parents are just home a lot.

I hated it and couldn’t wait for it to end. So no hard time transitioning for me.

What sport is this? We never partied with other parents on our kids’ teams. Just chatted on the sidelines or in the hotel at tournaments. Also, I’ve never heard of whole families (including other siblings) going to tournaments. At most, one parent would go.

Hockey and swimming

Can also confirm travel swim, baseball and girls softball parents party and booze.

[Anonymous]

My parents left the house at 4:15 am to get me to 5:00 am practice for over eight years, and did it again with a younger sibling. Since we left the house, they've taken some fantastic trips, skiing all winter and traveling all summer. They had hobbies before but put them on the back burner while raising us. I don't have any reason they have any regrets. Their advice to me has been to embrace each season of life for what it is. Our time with our children under our roof is limited.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The pissy responses to this post are interesting to me. Why so defensive. It’s a legitimate question framed fine.

Eh, I’m not OPs target here and yet she comes across to me as the kind of person who desperately compares herself to others and hates families that seem happy. We all know the type and avoid them as they’re miserable people. It’s sports today but guarantee OP dislikes any family that seems to have tight bonds. People are reacting to that.

You’re projecting.

Poor angry little OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We know a husband and wife whose youngest is off to college this fall. He will not play college sports. This couple's entire and I mean entire identity for the past like fifteen years has been carting their kids to practices, training, camps, and out of town tournaments. Every waking moment it seems. They're only in their late 40s. Do travel sports couples like this struggle with their departure from that sporty orbit and all of their newfound free time?

If they aren't playing in college or going pro what was the point?

The love of the sport, working hard, exercise, all of the social, emotional, and life lesson benefits that come with being part of a team.

OP, you would probably call me (and my husband) travel sport obsessed. We actually aren't, but one of our kids certainly is and we support her 100% in her sport and we enjoy watching her do what she loves. So it has become a big part of our life. Our other kid plays three different rec sports and while all are reasonable alone, they take up a lot of time combined, too. Again, we love watching him play. Other than reading, my only real hobby right now is kid sports. I look forward to having more time to do other things when the kids are gone, but I am fully enjoying this time of our lives.

[Anonymous]

We're spending our (newfound) free time travelling to his and his brother's college games instead. They don't play at the same school or the same sport, so it covers most of the school year.

When they both graduate? Who knows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is a D1 athlete so we travel all of Spring to see him play.

But I learned to play piano, hike, play pickleball, do yoga, paint, steam a ton.

I also travel every other weekend to visit siblings, roommate from college, go to friends beach houses/lake house, travel for weddings (3 this year)

I did a 3 week cross country trip over the summer with a friend from HS.

I also work full time and volunteer mentoring people to interview for jobs.

Steam what??

Stream… shows

Just watch West wing for the 1st time amazing

I think they mean like a steam room. Lots of country club peeps do that.

[Anonymous]

This is the same with a stay at home parent whose life has been devoted to the kids and then the kids are gone. It is also the same as a stay at home parent whose life is devoted to a preschooler and then the preschooler is in school part time and then full time. My first day that my oldest went to preschool, I felt sad. By day 3, I was like, "byeeeeee!!!!"

The adjustment is typically quick.