Monday, May 05, 2008

Lessons learned. Hopefully.

This week-end Phil and I had the opportunity to learn several valuable lessons.

1. Noah is one of the most stubborn kids ever born. And when he is left home for naptime while Mom takes Adam to his first baseball game he is going to make the afternoon as painful as he possibly can for his dad. And even if Dad starts out the afternoon in a good mood, he will undoubtedly end up in a not-so-good mood after spending the afternoon trying to get screaming Noah down for a nap.

2. Even though he said that he wanted to play and we signed him up and paid the fees, Adam doesn't like to play baseball, even a little bit. And when Mom takes Adam to play baseball, they are going to make the afternoon as painful as they possibly can for one another. And even though Mom starts out in a good mood, excited for Adam's first baseball game, she will undoubtedly end up in a not-so-good mood after Adam sits on the sidelines refusing to even try in spite of two coaches, the other kids, and his mom begging him to play.

3. Contrary to Tom Hanks declaration in a League of Their Own, there IS crying in baseball, although it might sometimes be the mom crying instead of the player, and the crying might not start until the mom gets home and the dad asks her how the game went.

4. Even though he is absolutely right, Dad should wait a day or two before gently telling Mom that her frustration with Adam's refusal to simply try might be interpreted by Adam as disapproval of him because he doesn't like baseball.

5. Walmart is NOT the place to go when you need to decompress after a baseball game with Adam. I'll eliminate the details here, but I can tell you for sure that Walmart actually amplifies any painful event rather than dulling it.

6. Even a six-year-old little boy will agree to things that he really doesn't want to do if he thinks it will make a disapproving mom happier, i.e.:
Adam: "It's okay mom, we can practice more in the backyard if you really want to. I'll do it."
Mom: You don't have to, Adam. We can practice if you want to so that you aren't so nervous at the games, but if you don't want to play baseball, it's okay.
Adam: But I will if you want me to.
Mom: But you don't have to.
Adam: I don't?
Mom: No.
Adam: Really? You won't be mad?
Mom: No.
Adam. Okay. Then I don't want to.

Just so you know, Adam and I continued that conversation and I think we can safely say that his career in baseball is over. With that resolved, I'm still waiting to see what kind of agreement Phil and Noah came to regarding naptime.

2 comments:

Kelly Hill said...

He's such a good boy, wanting to please you and be a baseball star even though he hates it! Where'd that kid come from??!? Please MAKE HIM play at least the game this coming Saturday, I really REALLY want to watch him.... even if it's him crying and refusing to play. I need pictures. ;)

Wait a gosh darn minute! Did Phil actually say something intelligible in regards to child rearing? Whoa Nelly!

Melissa said...

Been there and done that, but with soccer. Luckily we for us, we were the coaches so the season was quite a delight.