Thursday
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9/08/03
A Non-Rant For A Change
The nights are crisp, the days bright and clear and school’s back in session. What does it all mean? Apple picking, leaf raking and suffering through early Christmas ads on TV? Sure, but there’s something good as well: soccer’s back. Our oldest boy played his first game this last week, following a few early practices during which a dozen or so boys ran with purpose and shook off August’s pre-school stupor.
It’s actually a kid activity the whole family has been looking forward to all summer. We have him doing other things of course, as no child would be complete without an exhaustive schedule of pastimes designed to enlighten the mind, enrich the spirit and build the body… yet this is the one the rest of us can stand.
There was, after all, camp and swimming for much of the summer, but that obviously didn’t do me any good. Then there’s karate, which is great focus and concentration practice for the boys, but there are only so many times that I can watch them stand in a line, kicking and yelling "Hiyawww." We also did little league, but in baseball there simply isn’t enough for the kids to do. And for us, sitting through an entirely too long game while your kid spins in circles in the outfield while staring at the sky in a daze, is, simply put, excruciating.
Ah, soccer, however, keeps them running and thinking at the same time. They socialize. They think and react as a group. They burn off energy and fall down. The games are actually exiting to watch. And, in a politically incorrect way, I must also note that parent-wise, the whole vibe is very different than in other sports. Simply put, we haven’t run into any savages.
So, have kids? Short on time and resources? Trust me, cut back on the piano lessons and send them off with a soccer ball. And, if nothing else, it’s a good excuse to share gratuitous pictures of your little guys and gals in action.
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9/08/03
A Non-Rant For A Change
The nights are crisp, the days bright and clear and school’s back in session. What does it all mean? Apple picking, leaf raking and suffering through early Christmas ads on TV? Sure, but there’s something good as well: soccer’s back. Our oldest boy played his first game this last week, following a few early practices during which a dozen or so boys ran with purpose and shook off August’s pre-school stupor.
It’s actually a kid activity the whole family has been looking forward to all summer. We have him doing other things of course, as no child would be complete without an exhaustive schedule of pastimes designed to enlighten the mind, enrich the spirit and build the body… yet this is the one the rest of us can stand.
There was, after all, camp and swimming for much of the summer, but that obviously didn’t do me any good. Then there’s karate, which is great focus and concentration practice for the boys, but there are only so many times that I can watch them stand in a line, kicking and yelling "Hiyawww." We also did little league, but in baseball there simply isn’t enough for the kids to do. And for us, sitting through an entirely too long game while your kid spins in circles in the outfield while staring at the sky in a daze, is, simply put, excruciating.
Ah, soccer, however, keeps them running and thinking at the same time. They socialize. They think and react as a group. They burn off energy and fall down. The games are actually exiting to watch. And, in a politically incorrect way, I must also note that parent-wise, the whole vibe is very different than in other sports. Simply put, we haven’t run into any savages.
So, have kids? Short on time and resources? Trust me, cut back on the piano lessons and send them off with a soccer ball. And, if nothing else, it’s a good excuse to share gratuitous pictures of your little guys and gals in action.
