Baseball is Also for Littles to be Little

 

This popped up in my memories today. It's my two oldest grandbabies in their first year of baseball. They were five. It doesn't seem like they should be preteens now, but here we are.

Their coach was absolutely wonderful with them. Luckily he's still coaching. Sadly, my littles gave up on baseball. One of them decided not to go back three years ago. The other switched to softball because keeping up with the boys was getting too hard at her age. But that was her last year.

Sadly, even at young ages, too many kids are being pushed out because coaches and leagues are far too competitive-minded. So are many parents. And that's fine if it's fine with their kids, if it's what the kids want, but honestly, little ones who just want to enjoy the game should be able to do so.

One of these babies had a whole lot of potential to be a really good player, but the competition and pushing to "not let your team down" was too much. The other has a whole lot of spirit and love for the game, but also physical difficulties that interfered. They both should have been encouraged by their coaches all the way through. They should have been proud for doing their personal best. They should have had fun while learning the game.

After all, it IS a game.

And they are kids.

The second one went to every practice and tried really hard and was the always the loudest cheering for her teammates. Yet, she was always stuck outfield getting bored out of her mind when she did actually get play time. So she quit. It's disheartening that so many adults are shrugging their shoulders about this. They don't care about that one sweet child because their little superstars can't be held back. Sad. I wish they could see that child's face even now, two years later, when she sees kids practicing baseball. I really wish they could. Because that one child does matter. That child matters more than winning games. 

And what about the kids who get to play constantly and see those other kids get pushed away and not played because they "aren't good enough"? What is that teaching them? Then we turn around and wonder why so many of them turn into bullies at school. They were taught that those "outskirt" kids don't matter.

We are doing this. And it needs to stop.

Those who want to be super competitive can join competition teams and travel teams. That's great, as long as it's what they want and not only what their parents want in order to stroke their own egos. There is too much of that. There is far too much parent hollering at kids not performing to their standards, including to other peoples' kids. There were several occasions in our area where police had to be called due to parent aggressiveness. I would suggest therapy for these souls. And that's not intended as an insult, but anyone who feels they have to succeed through their children badly enough to think it's okay to scream and holler at not only their kids but other kids should take a deep look at themselves.

Why can't we let our kids be children while they are? Childhood is so short. There will be, God willing, many years ahead for them to have to be successful, to push, to be judged for their performance. Just for these few years of beautiful childhood, stop with the competition and let them learn and grow and have fun and thrive in their own ways. And BE inclusive, don't just talk about it. BE inclusive and welcoming and accepting, so our kids will learn to be the same.

And for goodness sake, STOP yelling at and belittling other people's children. It should take only one incidence of this for those parents to get kicked off the field for the season.

Kids' sports belong to THEM, not to us adults. It's for them. Let it be.

Flitting and Waiting

As I watch my 2- and 3-year-old grandchildren play, I marvel at their differences. They are opposites in many ways and yet each represent their own parent well and still show sides of their parent's sibling. They're quite the mix and match of my own babies. (Of course they each have traits of their other parent, as well, but I saw my babies grow up and naturally find it easier to pick up on what I remember.)

The elder toddler by 3 months is like his mom now: matter-of-fact and highly organized, he puts one thing away before he moves on to something else, after playing with that one thing for some time. He likes to line up his toys in lines or recently in circles, enjoying the design of it, the orderliness and heaven forbid anything interfere with his planned order. Like his uncle, when he focuses on something, he is intently focused on it. Also like his uncle, he's socially wary and watchful but very kind-hearted and sweet-natured. He appreciates and welcomes help when he wants to do something that isn't quite working out.

The other one is like her dad in that she's very artsy and musical. She's also like her aunt and her dad both as young children, swirling about from one thing to another and back and forth, leaving a wake in her trail of blocks and crayons and puzzle pieces she likes to dump but not put together and she's always moving on to the next thing. Now and then something will catch and hold her attention and heaven forbid you take her away from it. Like her aunt as a child, she loves people and talks to everyone, whether or not they're willing to talk. She will give them "that look" if they ignore her. Also like her aunt, she is very much I Can Do It Myself (which she calls "me-self" currently).

It's interesting to watch them develop their innate personalities regardless of what goes on around them. The world can do as it wishes, and their parents can guide them, but they are who they are and they know inside this is perfectly okay.

I see myself in both little ones. I want things as they are supposed to be, in order and organized, and I don't appreciate anyone else interfering with the way I have things, but this often doesn't come out externally since I also jump from interest to interest and disorder naturally follows, which drives me nuts, but it doesn't change, no matter how I try.

Some things just are as they are and it's okay.

The photo above is my newest project, or newest part of a new project, a series of yellow flower based paintings on 8 x 10 canvas. I'm far better at drawing than at painting because I've done far more of it, but I've had the urge to paint lately, in between my urge to work on clay, so although I have one yellow flower painting in progress already, partly painted and waiting, I had to sketch this one because I saw the idea for it and wanted it in progress. Eventually, I'll add paint. For now, it waits because this weekend, I'm back to the rewrite of the novel that was "done" other than edits which is now getting a makeover with a changed, expanded ending. I also have the next Thoughts & Sketches journal underway that I work on when I feel like it.

In retrospect, that novel in progress needed to wait a bit. Ideas from day to day life and inspirations have infiltrated the story and by now I realize it wouldn't have been right if I'd pushed to just get it done. You have to listen to your instincts. It wasn't ready, so it had to sit and wait while I flitted around with other things.

Sometimes you have to Do It and get it done and other times you need to sit back and wait. Some call it procrastination. I call it all in due time.

Those two little toddlers are exactly right. They are perfect just as they are and I hope they can hold onto that belief regardless of what the world tries to tell them. Grandma will be standing by ready to argue back with the world.