Because I am not American and it is significant effort for me to socialize with Americans. Is my accent ok? Am I saying all the right things? Etc etc
Easier to just be by myself unless there is no way out of it

Anonymous wrote:It makes sense to wait in the car or run errands. The lobby zombies and chit chat gossips are the worst.

??

Lobby zombies ?

I only care what my child thinks. Would it matter to them if I watch? Will they even see me watching? I think it’s rude to be on my phone not paying attention and they can see it. I also think it’s rude where parents talk the entire time.

I leave during practices and watch games.

Anonymous wrote:The coaches would prefer it if all parents stayed in the car or just dropped the kids off!

This is the answer.

NP. I do this sometimes. Look, it's nothing personal, and I'd like to think I am more empathetic and caring than the average person, but I am also just intensely shy and introverted deep down. I am a senior government attorney, and it takes all I have to be "on" all day, to be in a more gregarious headspace. It's hard to do.

It also doesn't help that DW and I are older parents, so we definitely feel a generation gap between us and the early 30 somethings (we are late 40s). I have found that I have more in common with my older gen x and boomer colleagues, and thus easier to be sociable.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What type of events?

Father-daughter dance

Anonymous wrote:The coaches would prefer it if all parents stayed in the car or just dropped the kids off!

+1000.

I am still confused by what OP considers an "event". I wouldn't consider a practice and event. I sit outside practices of various types all the time. But to me an event is something out of the ordinary, so a band concert, or a game, or graduation. I think sitting outside those is a little odd, although obviously things can come up and it's the best you can do.

The coaches would prefer it if all parents stayed in the car or just dropped the kids off!

parents are not required for kids practices. you know in the caveman days when i was a kid, i rode my bike there and home. no parents ... ever!

Why do you care?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How old are the kids? My parents didn’t stay and watch my activities or practices when I got to about 5th/6th grade. They stayed in the waiting room or in the car. I don’t think this is a huge deal once the kids are old enough to behave without parental intervention.

I’m noticing it across my kids ages, from 8 to 15.

The older kids would probably feel embarrassed if parents were watching them closely during practice and then people would have the opposite complaint of “ah, Aiden’s mom/dad is so overbearing at baseball/swimming/dance/whatwver … they always stay in the lobby or on the field and watch.” So yes this is yet another way in which parents can literally never win. Cool, good talk.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What type of events?

Father-daughter dance

NP. I can’t tell if you’re OP or this is a joke response

That's sad you can't tell.

It makes sense to wait in the car or run errands. The lobby zombies and chit chat gossips are the worst.

OP what do you think they should be doing?

I used to get out and walk or sit at my 7 or 9 year old's soccer practices. But once they're about 10, that's odd in my circles. I work, I relax, I run an errand, stuff like that. I work all day, so it's my opportunity to either walk (which I am not going to do from 8-9 in the dark at a random parking lot) or veg out.