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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I know this is probably viewed as anti-American but I never wanted my boys to be good in sports.  Of course I wanted them to have fun outside but my experiences with high school and college jocks was never positive nor was what I read about parents of kids in competitive sports.  I never wanted them to fall in love with something they were simply not good enough to do professionally and encounter that disappointment so young.

So what happened?  How did I end up with two college-recruited baseball players?  Both of my boys loved baseball more than life itself from the time they were two-years-old.  Watching baseball, reading about baseball and playing baseball.  They were born that way and DH and I had no choice but to support their passion and put all the time and money we could associated with raising an ball player.  [b]I doubt either will make it to the major leagues but at least they both are getting great college educations and hopefully will be ready to deal with the disappointment of not making it.

I wish both had loved a different path.  I hate to think that their first life goal was crushed at 22.[/b]   [/quote]

If they are resilient they will survive if they don't get to be pros. Yes, it's unlikely that they will, just as it's not likely that the OP's daughter will become a professional dancer -- those who try are many, those who get the jobs are few. But have you ever thought to talk with your sons about the other careers that could be open to them? I know a boy who, in high school now, worships baseball and loves to play and plays well, but he also knows that being a pro is statistically unlikely--so he is already investigating careers like sports team management and other fields on the business side of the sport, even the medical side (sports physiotherapy, I think). He's looking ahead realistically at how he might stay around the sport he loves while making a living, because though he's a teen, he's pretty savvy about the fact he's got to eat (and pay rent one day).

Rather than regretting already how your sons' dreams might be crushed, why not help arm them with other options by pointing out that pro baseball has a lot more people involved in it than just the players?[/quote]

PP here and both of my boys were recruited by Ivey League universities - I am sure they will be fine after graduation.  Neither is interested in anything (right now) but playing and view those in the management of baseball rather unfavorably.  The old "those you cannot do" thing.

But thanks so much for your concern about my kids.  It is so lovely to have sacrificed all our parenting lives to help them achieve their goals and be told by some anonymous idiot that we didn't do it right.   So sweet of you to think of us!  Bye-bye.   [/quote]

Wow. No need for name-calling. Sorry if you thought your parenting was attacked -- the purpose was to point out that there are other ways to be involved with a passion other than as a professional athlete, dancer, etc. That's why I gave the example of a kid we know who is a good player and wants to stay around baseball but is exploring ways to do it other than as a pro player. Just giving a potential positive angle since your initial post was negative about your kids' focus on baseball. Never said you were raising them wrong, just that there are other options to explore if they choose. They don't want to. That's fine. No way for me to know that before giving the suggestion.

You were referring your kids' "life goal" being "crushed," so it's good to hear that you are instead so pleased with their prospects. That wasn't the impression your initial post gave.
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