To Sport or Not To Sport

Old photo from soccer.  Wolfie was four or five!

Erik and I have had long conversations about whether we should put our children in sports.  At this point in time, none of them really want to play.  Dragging Wolfie to soccer practice where he cried or refused to practice was a real joy.  JoJo wanted to last year, but I held him out due to traumatic brain injury.  I just don't know that I feel sports are that important in my children's lives.  Yet, I feel that I am somehow cheating my kids out of something by not doing so.  It's what "everyone" else is doing.  Shouldn't I be on board with everyone else?   When I meet with other mom's I feel guilty about it.  I even discussed that I didn't want to force the kids to do sports with a close friend of mine.  She said they wouldn't be any good when they got older because everyone would be way more experienced and advanced.  I told shared that with Erik, and his reply was none of our boys would be making a professional career out of any sport.  I think that he is right.  The man was leading rusher in the state during high school and broke many, many football records.  I was a UCA All-American Cheerleader.  The first in the history of my High School.  Neither one of us had the desire, nor made it to the professional level.  Erik did play college ball, but gave it up to take a leadership position at his school.  I was so burnt out of cheerleading I didn't consider it in college.

While I do feel that children's sports can be beneficial in many ways, I think I would rather eat dinner at home with my children every night.  When my kids grow up, I want them to know what a family is.  A family spends time together, eats together, prays together, fights together.  I want to come home and laugh and play with my kids, if it's in the pool, shooting baskets, riding bikes, or running around in the yard like idiots.  I want to teach my children how to cook.  I love having them in the kitchen with me, while they help me prepare meals.

I want my kids to hunt, fish, and camp.  Those activities bring a lot of joy to our lives.  They are done with the entire family, and often grandparents.  I want my boys to know where food comes from.  A sacrifice must be made so we can eat.  I want them to be thankful for that, to realize it's importance.  

This year, all of the boys will be going to catechism.  Wolfie is not required since he made his First Holy Communion two years ago.  We still want him to go and continue his religious education.  Sports would interfere with that.  I want my boys to have a strong sense of faith, and knowledge of God.  It is very hard for us to get to church with Erik's schedule.  Working on that is a major goal for this school year.

I love sitting at the kitchen table every night and helping my kids with their homework.  It's an important part of our day.  I feel that the kids know the absolute importance of school.  Well, maybe not JoJo :/

Sports will be a small time period in their lives.  When they grow up, I want them to have a strong sense of family.  I want them to share our values with their children and wives.  It's not about the touchdowns, or goals.  Life is about relationships, family, and love. I don't want them to miss hunting or camping because they had a game to go to.  I don't want to miss dinner together because of practice.  I don't want meals to be fast food in the car while we drive.  When they're older and show interest, then I will be all for it.  For now, I want to savor the easiness,  the lack of hecticness, our life at home together.  It will be gone before we know it.  Time flies so quickly.

**As a disclaimer, if your child is in sports that's great!  This post is based solely on what Erik and I feel is best for OUR family.**