I'm a Sport Mom
Oct 07, 2016 04:50PM ● By News Desk
By: Kristi Guillory
As a mom, I’m always relieved when school schedules have been set in place and everything seems to be going smooth. Then Bam! Everything is turned upside down with fall sports! Weeknight practices and weekend games mean constantly being on the go. If you are like me and have multiple athletes, you are really in for chaos! Don't fret, though! Whether you work or stay home, with a little planning, your days can become smooth and stress-free again!
The first step to becoming organized when you have children in sports is to get a calendar and use it! Personally, I prefer an actual paper calendar mounted on the fridge, so my kids always know when we have things planned. Although, a white board would probably work better! If you have multiple children in different sports this will also help when planning mom and dad duties. For the sake of smaller children who maybe can't read yet, try finding stickers of footballs, soccer balls, volleyballs or whatever sport your child is in and put one on the days they have games or practices so they can see exactly when they have something to do.
I currently have two children in soccer and a toddler that tags along. Of course the two in soccer have all their games at the same times at different parks. When my husband is working out of town, I'm forced to hire a neighborhood teen to help with getting one child to their game. I do my best to alternate to be fair and see each child every other time. If you have family or friends close by, they could be very helpful at these times!
Let's take a minute to address the toddler. This kid is NOT interested in watching his brothers play soccer. I make sure to bring lots of snacks and things to keep him occupied. For older, non-sport-playing siblings you can bring something they enjoy such as coloring books, crafts, or even a board game to play with them during practices or games so they don't feel left out.
Often, practices and games can last into the evening hours cutting into supper and bath times. I've found that life runs much smoother when I've planned ahead and don't have to end up cooking or ordering out at the last minute. If you have a crock pot, use it!! These things are life savers on busy days and you can literally find hundreds of recipes online! If you prefer not to cook with a crock pot, try planning ahead and cooking a big meal the day before so you can have easy leftovers.
Most importantly, if it does get stressful, try not to let your kids know it. Let them enjoy using their talents and learning these crucial team building experiences. It's ok to lose, just talk about what they did good and how they could work to improve next time. Sports should always be fun for children and if they pick up on your stress, it will make them enjoy it a little less.
Get organized, de-stress and enjoy the growing up years…
The first step to becoming organized when you have children in sports is to get a calendar and use it! Personally, I prefer an actual paper calendar mounted on the fridge, so my kids always know when we have things planned. Although, a white board would probably work better! If you have multiple children in different sports this will also help when planning mom and dad duties. For the sake of smaller children who maybe can't read yet, try finding stickers of footballs, soccer balls, volleyballs or whatever sport your child is in and put one on the days they have games or practices so they can see exactly when they have something to do.
I currently have two children in soccer and a toddler that tags along. Of course the two in soccer have all their games at the same times at different parks. When my husband is working out of town, I'm forced to hire a neighborhood teen to help with getting one child to their game. I do my best to alternate to be fair and see each child every other time. If you have family or friends close by, they could be very helpful at these times!
Let's take a minute to address the toddler. This kid is NOT interested in watching his brothers play soccer. I make sure to bring lots of snacks and things to keep him occupied. For older, non-sport-playing siblings you can bring something they enjoy such as coloring books, crafts, or even a board game to play with them during practices or games so they don't feel left out.
Often, practices and games can last into the evening hours cutting into supper and bath times. I've found that life runs much smoother when I've planned ahead and don't have to end up cooking or ordering out at the last minute. If you have a crock pot, use it!! These things are life savers on busy days and you can literally find hundreds of recipes online! If you prefer not to cook with a crock pot, try planning ahead and cooking a big meal the day before so you can have easy leftovers.
Most importantly, if it does get stressful, try not to let your kids know it. Let them enjoy using their talents and learning these crucial team building experiences. It's ok to lose, just talk about what they did good and how they could work to improve next time. Sports should always be fun for children and if they pick up on your stress, it will make them enjoy it a little less.
Get organized, de-stress and enjoy the growing up years…
