Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone like going to kid sporting events? I just wish I could read my kindle without people getting the impression I don't love my children.

Yes. I absolutely love watching my son play soccer. He and his team mates are joyful athletes and good sports. I've known some of them for a decade.

Most parents enjoy watching their kids play soccer. It's constant action and a set timeframe for game start and end. For track (and swimming), you go there and wait until their event which usually only lasts a few minutes...then you wait for another short event...and maybe another, all within a 4 hour timeframe.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone like going to kid sporting events? I just wish I could read my kindle without people getting the impression I don't love my children.

Yes. I absolutely love watching my son play soccer. He and his team mates are joyful athletes and good sports. I've known some of them for a decade.

Soccer and basketball are totally different than track and swimming. This post is about track....completely different spectator experience and has nothing to do with how much you enjoy watching your kids participate.

Do you like to read? I can hardly find time to read anymore and I would use this time as my dedicated time to get lost in a good book!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just think of how bad it was for our parents. They didn't have smart phones or e-readers to pass the time. They actually had to watch or talk to other parents.

Nope. They weren't helicopter parents and were okay with missing many meets. They made the important meets which mattered.

There still were newspapers and actual books. If all you do is read email, don't go.

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone like going to kid sporting events? I just wish I could read my kindle without people getting the impression I don't love my children.

Yes. I absolutely love watching my son play soccer. He and his team mates are joyful athletes and good sports. I've known some of them for a decade.

Anonymous wrote:Mix it up.
Sometimes don't go,
Sometimes go and sit with a good book (I've also seen multiple parents knitting/crocheting at meets.)
Sometimes volunteer. Agree with PPs is makes the time go faster, and it really does take a lot of people to run a meet, so your help will be welcome!
Whatever you do, invest in one of the padded seat things. Those bleacher benches are HARD!

This. Plus, I've dropped my daughter and gone for a workout on occasion. With swimming, I purposefully volunteer one of the two days (usually when she's in an event near the end). Sometimes my DH will volunteer the other day, but if not, I've gone to Starbucks to work, or exercised before or between events.

Track, Crew, Cross Country and Swimming are about the worst sports to watch. A LONG day for a few minutes. Just go to a few or show up around the time she run and then head back to the car to do work on your phone or pick up dinner and then take her home.

Anonymous wrote:Just think of how bad it was for our parents. They didn't have smart phones or e-readers to pass the time. They actually had to watch or talk to other parents.

Nope. They weren't helicopter parents and were okay with missing many meets. They made the important meets which mattered.

Just think of how bad it was for our parents. They didn't have smart phones or e-readers to pass the time. They actually had to watch or talk to other parents.

Mix it up.
Sometimes don't go,
Sometimes go and sit with a good book (I've also seen multiple parents knitting/crocheting at meets.)
Sometimes volunteer. Agree with PPs is makes the time go faster, and it really does take a lot of people to run a meet, so your help will be welcome!
Whatever you do, invest in one of the padded seat things. Those bleacher benches are HARD!

My kid's been on the high school track team for three years, and I've never gone to a meet. You have to pay like seven dollars to sit around for hours. The kid is only out there doing his event for a minute. If he asked me to come, I would, but he's discouraged it. He doesn't like us watching him. Maybe I'll go once before he graduates, just so I can see him in action.

Lots of parents don't hang around at their kids' events. If you're fascinated, and your child doesn't mind, be there. I'm old enough that I grew up when parents had their own adult lives, and only came to certain special kids' events.

I posted before, the former track coach. Is it so bad if you miss a meet here and there? When I was an athlete I always felt extra pressure when my parents were at sporting events to watch me. They weren’t the type to yell at me or anything but it was just my teenage brain. When they weren’t there, I rather enjoyed being able to relax a little and just run/play. Just a thought, maybe you can ask your daughter what she thinks.

Think of all the things she does that she hates doing because she is being a good daughter. Suck it up and support your child. Bring a magazine, a book, games on your phone, take a nap but for goodness sake don't diss your child just because it is not about you.

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone like going to kid sporting events? I just wish I could read my kindle without people getting the impression I don't love my children.

Depends on the sport. I love watching their soccer and basketball games, but can't deal with baseball. Baseball is better for sideline chatting though, because there are more parents who don't care about watching the games.

I feel you. Swim meets are about 4 hrs. I finally learned to volunteer so I had a purpose (and could be on the pool deck vs the stands that are so crowded and hot.)