I finally signed my kids up to play sports. There was an occasional side eye when I told other parents we didn’t “play” anything. Of course we played, but I resisted joining a team or league. Becoming sports obsessed with your kids is a slippery slope. In the competitive world of parenting I dropped the ball when it came to pre-registering my kids for athletic domination. 

Post- pandemic, now my boys are playing basketball. We’re 0-2 so far with 3 games to go. Out of all the sports I heart basketball. I’ve only played with friends, never with a team. When I’m a participant I prefer easy, friendly games, playing around the world. As an observer, I get a little loud, the stakes are higher and I feel the intensity. The game is moving and changing moment to moment. The physicality and endurance of the players, keep you in suspense the whole game. I love the teamwork and the art of adaptation. 

Now, I’m in the stands, cheering my boys on. Calls for teamwork, and blocking and clapping for buckets and good efforts. They’ve talked to me about it, next game I promised to be cool and collected. 

I wanted to practice with my lil ballers, so 30 minutes before swim practice we decided to shoot some hoops.

All I remember is that I was dribbling, and one son was guarding me and then I was on the ground. 

Big mom fall hard. 

I retreated to watching the baseball team practice instead of playing. 

We had a whole moment where my lil guy apologized for guarding me like a beast and I apologized for getting upset about my skinned leg . I could have done better and taught my kids about playing through it and not walking away.  It was a lesson I had to learn in their presence. Much appreciation and gratitude for seeing it now and the chance to do it better.

Bigger lesson, my coordination and pivoting needs improvement.