I love quiet time in my car - reading whatever in peace. It’s time to do stuff I never seem to do at home - file my nails, read stuff for work, DCUM, catch up with a friend on the phone.

Anonymous wrote:I dont go to any sporting events for kids. I'm not interested and they seem fine with it.

Terrible!!

You don’t have to go? Pick a couple to go to and skip the rest.

Swim mom here. I volunteer. You could do that.

Anonymous wrote:Baseball parent here. I feel the same way. Arrive an hour before the game. Games are long and boring and we have one million per week.

Yeah, baseball is pretty bad. And I say that as a track parent With track, we learned to show up for our daughter's races and it worked great - until the coach made her run relays that are scheduled at the beginning and the very end of pretty much each meet. But most of the time, we' d skip the early relay and show in the second half of the meet. That doesn't apply to big meets, like regionals and states, those are a big deal and you have to be there, start to finish.

Baseball parent here. I feel the same way. Arrive an hour before the game. Games are long and boring and we have one million per week.

At least she doesn’t wrestle. Those are all day affairs. Sometimes several days.

I dont go to any sporting events for kids. I'm not interested and they seem fine with it.

Anonymous wrote:I feel you. I like watching my daughter run. Which is about a minute of interest. The 2-4 hours in between her next heat is torture. I hate sitting and doing nothing, it’s just how I am personally. I get tired and irritable especially when it’s hot out.

This thread is from 2017. I'm sure Op has figured it out by now

I only go sometimes. DD doesn't love us going bc she always feels so nervous and likes to focus. When we do go, we don't go the whole time, just time it around her events. Sometimes it does mean a bigger chunk of time than others, or if the meet starts early we only go to the events we can go to after work.

Anonymous wrote:Some kids don't care if their parents attend or not. Some kids still see their parents as their best supporter. I don't know which is better. But, I rather show up for my kid than not know what the heck is happening with my own kid. There are times when they don't do well or do very well and their eyes would scan the audience to find a familiar face. I've seen this many times. Just as an audience, it's not fun when you see one that has the saddest face because she/he finished first and no one is there to cheer on them except some stranger.

You could just ask your kid if they prefer one or the other. I asked my kid...this isn't some embarrassing or tough question. It is possible you are a good parent and don't put pressure on your kid (which you only learn if you honestly ask your kid), but there are of course many parents who are just awful and their kids would prefer they not come.

It's also an age thing. As kids get older, it is less of a thing in general.

I go to all my kid's sports events (unless I'm traveling for work) and I love it.

I have been the basketball statistician for the past 2 years (love it, courtside seat).

Flag football, soccer, cross country, Tae Kwon Do, etc., whatever. I'm here for all of it.

I played lots of sports in school and my parents never came to anything, which kind of sucked. Now I go to everything I can and I see the kids whose parents never show up for them and it's sad. I get that parents can't always be at everything, but c'mon....show up now and then.

Make friends with other parents. I love to sit and chat with them while we watch. Yes, there is downtime, but make the best of it so you can be there.

Some kids don't care if their parents attend or not. Some kids still see their parents as their best supporter. I don't know which is better. But, I rather show up for my kid than not know what the heck is happening with my own kid. There are times when they don't do well or do very well and their eyes would scan the audience to find a familiar face. I've seen this many times. Just as an audience, it's not fun when you see one that has the saddest face because she/he finished first and no one is there to cheer on them except some stranger.

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.

Just sit in your car in the parking lot.

You can, of course. Just look up when it's your kid's turn!

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.

Just sit in your car in the parking lot.