Soccer is taking over our lives! Venting.

[NotUrsula]

How do your children get to and from practices, games, etc if their parents don't take them? Also, I find it to be a priviledge to watch my children in their activities and a gift to me, not my child Yes, sometimes siblings have to do something they don't want to do, but their turn will come. It doesn't have to be a horrible thing as you explain it.

It isn't horrible, but I strongly believe that as parents we have every right NOT to want to do it. Our desires count, too, as do those of siblings. The OP obviously does not enjoy spending large amounts of her time at kids' games/activities, and that does NOT make her a bad parent. She may or may not start resenting it more actively than she does now, but I can tell you that in my case, if I find myself having to run to too many kids' activities and not get enough quiet time at home, my temper gets short. I am NOT a pleasant person to be around under those circumstances.

I do drive my kids to activities sometimes, but I have limits. Right now our driving obligation takes about 30 minutes per week, which I consider reasonable. Most of the time, he walks or rides his bike to/from practices, as I did myself at that age.

 

[mjkacmom]

I do drive my kids to activities sometimes, but I have limits. Right now our driving obligation takes about 30 minutes per week, which I consider reasonable. Most of the time, he walks or rides his bike to/from practices, as I did myself at that age.

You let your children walk or bike places without you?! Don't you know there is a pretty good chance they will be abducted?! Sure, it might not happen, but you can never be too careful. I plan on taking my kids everywhere until they're old enough to drive.

DH coaches ds12's soccer team, so he always has a ride, and he's a catcher on his baseball team, so there is no way he's biking 3 miles across town for games and practices, unfortunately, with all of that equipment. He does walk to summer clinics in the center of town, though.

 

[Chelley00]

I have 4 soccer maniacs, although the oldest is lukewarm towards soccer since making varsity basketball last year. DS5 plays only spring rec league, but the other 2 travel. We have a one sport/activity per season rule. With 3 needing rides, I can't be everywhere at once. We allow my 14 year old to carpool, but not the younger ones.

I insist on summers off. It's time for them to be kids, to hang with friends, go to the pool etc. DS14 goes to high school soccer conditioning weight training for a couple hours a day 3-4 days a week during summer, but no games or practices. I figure they are still in shape from running around the neighborhood or our yard or the park or swimming so they aren't missing too much.

As for politics, we are lucky we don't have much of that, but even if we did, I still wouldn't let them play. I need the summer to recharge, and so do they. I don't want them to burn out.

 

[skater]

Believe it or not treasure these years. It won't be too long before your kids are grown.

I remember my DD first day of t-ball like it was just last year and it was 14 years ago.

I totally treasure these years. I have an almost 16 year old and I recently sat in the parking lot and cried after dropping her off for her first day of her first job. I think that's another reason I was hesitant about summer soccer. Organized sports take so much time away from family time and I can feel our time with our children slipping away. But I love him and I don't want to be the one to stand in the way of his dreams. There will be too many other obstacles!

 

[skater]

It does not make sense, nor is it fair, to force the entire family to structure their lives around his goal.[/QUOTE]


Obviously, I can't expect the whole family to structure their lives around him, but I do expect us to support each other. I try to have each of them watch at least some of the others' activities - games/competitions. My problem is more with the loss of whole family time at home.

 

[Ceila]

Last year DD was in two dance classes and DS was in LAX, and one started complaining about the time they sat at the other's practices (can't remember which one was complaining). I did some quick math and discovered that the time each spent waiting for the other was exactly equal! I went on to explain that DH and I are thrilled to give them these opportunities, and are happy to take them to practices and such. I also explained that, as a family, we need to support each other, and sometimes that means doing your homework while your sister dances or getting schoolwork finished while your brother is at sports practice. It's all about give-and-take.

As a parent, I am so glad that my children have these opportunities and it's my pleasure to help them develop their talents or to explore their interests. I never resent taking them to practice, sitting through games or recitals, or such. While it is nice that they are reaching an age where I can drop off and/or carpool, I never felt that taking them to their activities was a burden - to me it's a privledge to see them grow and develop.

 

[bluesaturn]

You let your children walk or bike places without you?! Don't you know there is a pretty good chance they will be abducted?! Sure, it might not happen, but you can never be too careful. I plan on taking my kids everywhere until they're old enough to drive.

I've never lived in a place where you could walk or bike to activities. I went to private school but even the public schools were too far to walk. We did a lot of carpooling though.

 

[golfgal]

If he is trying out for multiple teams, how will he commit to practicing and playing games when there are conflicts? I am all for kids playing sports but signing him up for multiple teams is NOT the answer. Find ONE team that works, keep the schedule reasonable because no matter how much he loves the game, he WILL burn out playing 365 days/year. You also have to step in as a parent and set limits or YOU will burn out.

 

[Art 1]

Take the summer off.

 

[dreamer17555]

My DD8 is the same way with dance. She goes a min of 4 nights a week, sometimes 5. She does Competition which eats several weekends and also does privates, solos, extra ballet at another studio- so on and so on.

The cost and time get to be insane but she is happy, healthy and I have a BFF who has a DD on the same Dance Team so we help carpool and so forth.

No real advice because I often wonder how much is too much... its a hard line to toe.

 

[Hillbeans]

My boys play sports but the older one just plays in Rec league and my younger one is too young to really be involved in full blown sports yet.

I have friends who have every weekend and most nights booked with their kids sports events - Travel soccer, practice, clinics...It's really not for me but for each their own I guess. If I were presented with a scenario such as the OP where every waking second was soccer 24/7 i'd not be thrilled, I have to be honest.