PARENTS! Listen. Ever wonder where your kid is getting this attitude from? Wonder why their tempers are bad? How about that potty mouth? Where did it come from? I’ll gladly tell you. It comes from watching YOU! I said it. And ain’t nobody gone grab me!

My son just completely his first fall season playing travel baseball and I have to tell you, my baby can play and I’m so very proud of him. Earlier this year was his first time playing coach pitch and he started off really slow but by mid season, he’d improved.

I’ve vowed that we will not be the Family pressuring kids to play games so we could live variously through them. I won’t do it. Originally, he wanted to be playing soccer right now but he got good at baseball and chose to stick with it. It was entirely his choice. And I must say…he is a natural and it’s not just because he is my baby.

So we’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching him play but who I can’t stand watching is us silly parents acting as if scouts are signing these boys up out on the fields. I want to remind them that we paid to be there. No money is being handed out and at the end of the games, the boys could care less. They are more impressed with snacks and playing on the side with their teammates. And these big ole rings they are winning now, after that day, if the parents don’t put the ring up, it’s lost without another thought. The kids have moved on with life.

The ones with their feelings and lips hanging are the parents, which this includes the coaches as these are their kids too. The whole time all I hear is curse words towards coaches and umpires. Screams such as “are you stupid, are you playing today, are you slow or something, you idiot, stop making dumb decisions” towards the players. Parents hitting kids or threatening to hit them if they don’t straighten up. Oh yes, not just today, I’ve heard such things all season. And it’s disgusting.

One little girl my daughter befriended at the games told me one time that if the first baseman misses the ball, he would be in big trouble and his dad would spank him.

Quite frankly we ought be ashamed of ourselves! These are kids still learning the concepts of the game. If they mess up, these aren’t times for yelling and loosing your voice but moments to teach them. If they are not hustling like they should, yell to get their attention for them to get in the game. If they do something you regard as stupid, please don’t say that but firmly explain the error of their ways and mooovvveeee on! There is absolutely no reason to keep on and on and on…next inning on and on and on about the same thing!

Yet when they get upset we tell them to fix their attitudes and to adjust quickly. How can they? They have been watching you do it so wrong for way too long. Instead of encouraging and praising them for their efforts, it’s turned negative. Kids do more of what they see you do than of what you tell them. Imitation is the best learning too. Ever notice that?

Now they are in the school play ground with these same antics. They are fussing at their friends for making stupid mistakes. Quick tempered at their teachers over the years. How sweet, you are a grandparent now, but it saddens you to see your grandchild being negatively ridiculed by your seed as you wonder where they got that from because you surely didn’t teach them that. Or did you?

If you are reading this, know this. If you didn’t believe in them, they wouldn’t be playing. So if you believe in them and want to see them succeed in life, you need to encourage them on and off the field. You will get more out of them with praise than ridicule. And remember, it’s just a game. A game that is NOT yours.

Thank you for your attention. Remember you are your own competition.

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