Mom's World of Sports

It's great that kids are involved in Sports. I am such an advocate of this and wish that all kids that are so inclined could get involved in any sport they wanted. There is a price to pay of course and not everyone has the time or means to be able to do this for their children. I wish I had a magic wand so that I could fix this! It also takes dedication and motivation from the child and support; financially, physically and emotionally by the parents to make this happen. A lot of juggling and flexibility in our schedules is required to be able to make those early morning, middle of the day, weekend games/practices/tournaments. But there we are driving our kids, watching them play and cheering them on when they score a goal/point, offering morale support when they injure themselves or feel defeated. Also it is a proven fact that kids that play sports have less time on their hands to fill with things that are not as positive; we all know this and don't mind putting in the time. I take my hat off to all other moms (and Dad's) that accomplish this in our already very busy lives. I admit I get a real sense of satisfaction from watching my kids play and grow as they master their chosen sport.

As children develop their skills and excel they have new doors that open up to them due to the fact that they play and dedicated themselves to their sport. Whether it is scholarships / coaching / playing professional sports etc. All those times us moms sit on those hard benches and / or stand in that wet field or cold rink along with other parents, watching our kids play their hearts out is well worth it. Not only are our kids learning about teamwork, positive and negative impacts, friendships, skills, communication etc, but they are feeling like they belong and are part of a group that loves to do the same thing. This is what we all want to do in life isn't it? Work/play together in a positive environment where we all believe and work towards the same goal and have fun while doing it? What a great lesson to start learning at a young age before you can actually collect a pay cheque!

I love watching the Olympics and the hockey draft ceremony where young players are either chosen by the teams and/or a young athlete wins a medal. I have to admit my favourite part is when the camera scans in for a close up of the parents/family, but especially the moms. How proud they must be! Like a peacock spreading its' beautiful feathers, at least that's how I would feel! I watch with awe at their accomplishments and how far their children have come and the sacrifices that they must have made along the way. It really is fascinating to see the people who were instrumental in allowing the player to excel and succeed.

I also feel that not only do children learn life lessons while playing sports but us parents learn things while watching them, sitting in the stands. Believe me I have learned to be more compassionate, diplomatic, encouraging and to try and keep my Spanish temper in check (no small feat!). I try not to show all of my emotions on my face (which is hard because I tend to turn red) and to drown out other parents that are not as well mannered and/or controlled as the parents that I associate with (insert big laugh!). I have to admit that there have been times where it took all my strength and resolve not to turn around and get into a confrontation with a parent that was being very unsportsmanlike or to walk up to my daughter/son for not behaving or playing well. Sometimes a hidden stiff shot of hard liquor in my coffee mug would have come in handy (not that I am a drinker) or a double dose of extra strength Midol would have been nice to numb the emotions and exasperation I was feeling. Then I remember why I and all of us are there....... We are there for our kids and to learn some life lessons. We want them to be the best that they can be. We want them to learn that life is not always about winning but sometimes about how to deal and act while losing. Nobody like to lose but I feel they are winners when I see them accept defeat in a very gracious and humble manner and acknowledge that the other team played well. Everybody like to win but it's how we win that is important as well. I also feel that winners can be losers when they showboat and carry on in a way that makes the losing team really feel their loss. I know that my kids and I are tested on all of this each time we go to a game.

So to all you Sports Moms out there! I admire you. Your dedication and unwavering support of your child's interest in sports in inspiring. May your child not only win their games but also may they win in life. If you find yourself on National TV with your child being recognized for their outstanding athleticism know that I will be cheering not only for your child but honouring you just as much!

Introduction

Hello Everyone!

I decided to start this blog to share my insights and start my own little community which will enable me and anyone that wants to join me to live, laugh and love while sharing stories of our crazy world that seems to get even more hectic once we become grown women and moms! Once you become a mom you are always a mom. It is part of our identity that we just can't shake. We have to remember though that before we were moms we were individuals and it is important to be able to tap into that once in a while so that we don't lose ourselves entirely.

Now a little bit about me....I would call myself a mature mom - I say this because it's been a while since I had to breast feed, change diapers and deal with daycare hassles. I am in my 40's (big gasp!) with two kids, one in elementary school and one in High School. I've been around the block, a suburban block which is usually longer than the regular blocks. I've done it all from working in corporate administration with large corporations, government agencies, private companies, and entrepreneurs and much, much more. I don't want to admit to everything but let's just say that I was the hostess with the mostest at McDonald's back in the day. I am also dabbling in self-employment assisting small businesses with their administrative requirements. In other words, I have a few notches on my belt and I have a muffin top peeking over my jeans from all the experiences I've had. I think I still look OK for my age although my 14 year old daughter would sometimes beg to differ. Especially those mornings when she looks at me with her wide eyes and insists on a wardrobe change before I leave the house.

This venture to blog for me is a new one. I know blogging has been around for a few years now and I am hoping this will allow me to be more of a free spirit, where I can put on my comfortable sweatpants, shake my hair and invite you all for a girl's night in where we can laugh and share our stories and opinions. It is getting harder to get together with girlfriends due to everyone's time restraints dealing with family obligations, work and love lives.

I am hoping I can connect with many mothers and really women. From Grandmothers, Aunts, Sisters, Daughters, Step-Mothers, Step-Grandmothers all of us are so unique and special that I want to celebrate us and the lives we all lead and have us come together even if for a little while. It may be the middle of the night, it may be first thing in the morning or even when the kids are in school and you have a few minutes to spare. Let's share our thoughts!!! Hugs, Isabel