When is it enough?

I am just wondering about this whole kid’s sports phenomenon. When is enough…well, enough?

Is it when you sign your kid up for two sports that occur during the same season? I mean how can we pick one? What if he likes one better? What if the whole freaking first grade is playing “the” sport? You can’t not try it and be left in the dust.

Is it when you sign your kid up for “instructional” lacrosse and the equipment for the kid who can’t really even tie his own shoes that well yet, costs upwards of $200 (not including the registration fee)? There’s a strong possibility said kid may not stick with that sport. But heck… we will have some really cool equipment taking up room in the garage.

Is it when you stand there at practice, freezing your ass off (it was NOT this cold at the house!!) after already having started dinner, did homework, raced to get there on time, squeezed and tugged him into his equipment in the back of the minivan, only to hear him ask the coach “how long ‘til practice is over?”

Is it when the people “in charge” don’t pass along any pertinent information? “Picture day is on Sunday…” Oh really? Maybe you would like to tell me where and what time? Small details I know. But I like to know where I am going and what time I should be there. I am funny like that.

Is it when the parent standing next to me watching the same game that both our kids are in, says “Did you see how good my Johnny is?” Uh, no. Actually I am watching my kid believe it or not.
Now don’t get me wrong if Johnny was doing something great I would give the kid props. And maybe even give the parent a pat on the back if they aren’t someone I would otherwise like to smack. But if both kids are doing the same thing and neither one doing it more spectacular that the other, then no I didn’t see your Johnny. The fact that you would assume that I would be watching Johnny and not my kid is strange to me. Truthfully, if your Johnny discovered the cure for cancer while dribbling a soccer ball I still wouldn’t think he was better than my kid. A parent is supposed to think their own child is nothing short of amazing…just not supposed to assume everyone else thinks so too.

So is it enough when I say it is? Probably. But I won’t say it is. I won’t make my kid be the one with the crazy mom that complains all the time, who knows she can do things better than most of these chimpanzees that run “organized” (not) sports. So, I will let him try every dam sport. I will buy all the bells and whistles even if that means my haircut money that week goes to buy athletic supporters. I will drive to four different practices, freeze my petunias off at the fields, and make nice with parents that are certifiable. (Although I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that some parents are great…some are even my friends who I am happy to sit, freeze and chat with.) I will chip in to buy the coaches gift cards to Dunkin’ Donuts cause they at least stepped up to herd these 7 year old boys and try to teach them the game.

With any luck my athlete will say enough is enough one day. He will choose one sport per season that he loves. Until then I suppose, I will do more than my share of enough to get him where he needs to go. God forbid, he would just have to play out in the back yard. Remember when that was enough?