Even though money is not an issue I don't like wasting it. I saw a short term fall off in my son's passion and desire to get to the next level. In other words, he started slacking off. We had a few "Come to Jesus" sessions (as a friend calls it) regarding his passion for the game. They were not pleasant conversations. A wall went up.quote:there are times in the baseball community where you see parents go outside their means in order to live vicariously through their son and when the end does not match the pre-conceived goal there is some animosity between the two. No, it does not happen often, but IMHO, once is too many. The parent/child relationship is the most valuable on this earth and should be sacred. However, as a society, the mighty dollar drives our existence and as much as we hate to see it happen, it can split a family apart.
I told him it's a priviledge to play travel and showcase ball, not a right. I told him it's not about talent. It's about effort. I told him I'll accept whatever the talent level turns out to be. But I will not tolerate anything less than 100% effort in his preparation. I told him I prefer to nudge him once in a while, not drag him across the finish line.
Ultimately his coach woke him up. The coach noticed the change in attitude. The coach told him the team and college baseball would live on just fine without him. Nudges have not been needed since the talk with the coach. He works out like his pants are on fire.
I noticed one life change when the attitude kicked in. It was when he got his driver's license. Is there some fine print on the back that says ... This license means you are now a big deal and are entitled to act like a horse's butt? Just another life trial we lived through. In the big picture he's viewed as a good kid.