Football...

So, Josh wanted to play football again this season. He was on the Giants last season which is, obviously, "off season" leagues. His team went to the Superbowl. Fluke that he got on a great team. I have a problem with him playing football. I haven't told him this. I don't really tell anyone this but, I can tell you, my silent blog this, right? Josh isn't aggressive. He doesn't enjoy just the thought of laying someone out and making them say that, "UNNNGH!" as they hit the ground. Andy's described it as a game of mental toughness. The ONLY time you'll ever be 100% in a football season is the morning before your first day of practice. After that, it's all about just giving everything you got with every practice and every game. Toughing through it.

Josh... he's not about toughing through it. I think he thinks it just looks like a lot of fun. I think, too, that he'd really like to be a receiver rather than be on the line.

So, the first practice was on his first day of school, the day he felt like his throat hurt, and after a summer of relaxing (for the most part -- he did take racquetball and triathlon in College for Kids but that was about 3 weeks prior so he definitely hadn't been conditioned for running drills yet. So we get there and he says something about his leg...he's a bit of a hypochondriac.... I don't want to NOT be concerned but... should you really eveeeeeeeeeeeeery time show major concern for any little thing. This kid ... seriously... Drew walked on his hand, "Mom, I think my hand's broke." Every. Little. Thing. Produces. Pain and DRAMA! So, like the boy who cried wolf, how do you find that balance between believing and showing concern and love and teaching him to be a man and suck it up a bit? Seriously? I went CAMPING when I was 7 months pregnant... SUCK IT UP!

But even just saying that seems like such a bitch thing to say to your kid. ??? Is that where the importance for the mom/dad roles comes into play? SO that I then look like the loving, motherly type and dad looks like the hard-ass wanting his kid to be the next great thing? Or does that then make dad look like someone who expects too much and is mean? Where DO you find that balance?

The first practice they played a game called "The Deer Hunter" where they squared off a section of field. Four players has orange material stretched over their helmets. They were the hunters. The rest of the players were in the square and they became, duh, the deer. The goal? The hunters tackle the deer one at a time until they're all gone. Once you're tackled, you're out. I never saw Josh once really show aggression and try to just take someone down. He tries to just grab them with his hands rather than use his body weight and momentum to take them down. It's so aggravating to watch because HE is the one that said HE wanted to do this! So, does he really? If so, WHY?

The first practice was cut short because he had to go to a Webelos event. He left in tears saying he couldn't put his foot down all the way. He was limping. I feel like such a worthless lump at the fact that I really find it hard to muster sympathy in situations like this.

...fast forward... he misses Wednesday's practice because of strep throat.

Saturday is the next practice. I didn't go. He's recovering from strep throat and speaking of... I probably need to sanitize his water bottle! Add that to the growing things to do list. Andy said that he did better but he, again, left in tears. This time saying that his throat hurt so badly he couldn't breathe. This time, I really do have sympathy for him. Poor kid. I'm sure he wasn't at 100% for the simple fact that he's been blowing his nose like crazy and you can hear that his throat sounds coated with crap every time he talks.

Andy tried to talk to him about how it's a game of mental toughness and how even when you're beat down, you don't quit.

I just don't know if after this season, I can take another season of this. I want him to be in some sort of physically exerting sport but... seriously. He is NOT an aggressive kid. He thinks the boys are mean that talk "smack" on the line. He doesn't understand why they need to cuss at each other at their age (I don't either) but seriously, he's just too nice for football, right?

Why he wants to play football is beyond me. I've speculated before... he knows how much Andy likes it and sees this as a way for him to do something for them to bond together. Maybe he hopes to be so great that Bob will come down from Iowa and be proud of him for something? Is he trying to feel worthy of attention or praise? He GETS attention and praise? I just don't GET what my role is supposed to be here. I try to give him ideas, pointers, and advice. I tell him it's not a game of size (always), more of leverage. I showed him pictures of LITTLE guys going against HUGE guys and the common denominator they have -- they never give up and they give their all. EVERY. TIME.

Sigh. It's frustrating!