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Reply to "2014 Anxiety"

Originally Posted by Swampboy:

Can we lighten up a little bit?

 

A dad (an old timer on the site who as far as I remember hasn't caused any trouble here) comes on and offers a heartfelt post about the anxiety he's going through as a dad who is trying to figure things out as best he can, including what level of college is suitable for his son.  Seemed to me like a frank and honest attempt to identify with others in similar situations.

 

He did get some understanding replies, but mostly he got blasted for taking on some of the paperwork for his kid and for being too involved.  

 

The criticism he received seems to be of a sort we see too often here:  namely, readers key on a few words or pet peeve triggers to pigeonhole authors into categories they disapprove of.  Then they criticize the author with vigor for belonging to the suspect category, seldom tempering their critiques with any awareness they might not know enough to make such a broad denunciation.

 

The situation the OP describes seems very normal.  It is quite normal for parents to be more anxious about completing recruiting paperwork than ballplayers are, especially for schools the player doesn't have high on his list.  It is also normal for parents eventually to find an effective way to shift responsibility to their children.  Normal describes a broad range of timelines and tactics for accomplishing the shift.  Some kids want the responsibility early.  Others need prodding.  I had to ease my son into it, as did many of my friends with their sons.  That this particular player is not assuming responsibility for these particular tasks at a rate that pleases the members who have weighed in does not mean he cannot manage for himself at whatever level college he attends; neither does it mean the father is or will be a helicopter parent.  

 

It is also normal to worry when one begins to realize how many gifted and talented ballplayers are competing for a small number of college playing opportunities.  Aleebaba's reaction to this awareness also seems normal.

 

Best wishes.

 

 

Might be one of the best comments I have seen on this site.  Let members voice their opinions and feelings.  It is too often that someone posts something and they get swarmed for a couple words that they chose that are really not relevant to the topic as a whole. 

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