So thankful for baseball...

We should all be thankful for our sons' dirty rooms, forgetfulness to do chores and occasional smart-alec response as long as they stay away from drugs and alcohol and manage their school work.

I have always belived that kids should always participate in something, ANYTHING, extracurricular that keeps them focused and busy. Baseball is very good at that!

As a parent of 13 and 9 year old boys, I'm scared to death of what might happen to my boys in the next few years.

I've always said that I want them to play football, basketball, baseball, be on the chess team, student council...whatever it takes so they don't have time to meet that punk that wants to teach them how to smoke...or worse.

T-bird is right. Don't care what the extra-curricular is...but thank God it's baseball. Something the entire family enjoys.

Teamwork, responsibility, dedication and more...all taught by baseball. None of these are taught by the local pusher.

quote:

Teamwork, responsibility, dedication and more...all taught by baseball. None of these are taught by the local pusher.

That's the truest thing I've heard in a while, biggerpapi. I hope you don't mind if I use it.

ORMom

I pray for the young man and hope he can change his life. I think you should be proud of your son because this other young man needed to reach out and he looked for a role model….and that was your son. That said, have your son be careful not to get too drawn in into a situation where professionals belong.

I read a long time ago that kids need to belong to something for their self esteem. If you ask a kid who he/she is they like that they can say I’m a baseball player, gymnast, cheerleader, football player, drummer, chess master and even the dreaded s****r player. If I pushed my kids in anyway it was to make sure they felt like they belong to something. So far so good but this can be a scary world.

My kids are in 10th and 8th grade. Not to scare any of our members but ask your kids if they know where they can buy drugs. Both my kids knew who was using and who was selling by 6th grade.

My thoughts are with the young man and his family and I hope he can overcome his addiction but he is in a very difficult place and will need support along with a firm message that back-sliding will not be tolerated.

Also wanted to reinforce with parents of tweeners out there...don't think that being on the baseball team (or any team/club for that matter) will keep your kid out of trouble. Some of the worse abusers of alcohol and drugs in my son's school were the athletes. Mine never had a self-esteem issue so he had no problems when he was called names or picked on for not using, but the pressure was there. When he was a sophomore and baseball practice let out early, he was walking out and one of the guys said something like, "I'd ask if you wanna get high with us but I know you think you're too good for it." He just said, "that's right," and kept walking. However, getting the word out that he didn't use meant people left him alone after awhile.

Keep the lines of communication open...ask your kid about it, but don't push it. When he shared stories like the one above, I never asked names because I didn't want him to quit talking to me. When he wanted me to do something, he would give me details like names. It was kind of understood that I would talk to the parents then.

That being said, keeping kids involved in activities they care about is important. I always stressed with mine that even one bad choice could cost him everything he was working so hard to achieve. And everytime some other mother's child made that bad choice whether it was drinking and driving, caught using drugs, etc., I made sure I told him the story and what the kid lost be it liberty, limb, or life. I also took it as an opportuity to discuss what he could do or say if he found himself in that same situation.

I wish I could say it improved in college but at least one kid this year got thrown off my son's team for DWI and this was a kid who had great skills, and he said he was working toward a baseball career. That wasn't enough to stop a bad decision.

Parents, be ever vigilent and always let your kids know that you are there for them and will love them whatever mistakes they make. They will be more willing to open up if they know you are willing to hear what they have to say and not just react to it.

Great post Blue Sky.
God Bless

Bluesky

Wow, you are so right on target - this is a classic post.

Thanks!!!!

bluesky
very good post.

i will say even the best kids will make bad choices. some keep making them. it doesn't make them bad people or you bad parents. i wish i new the reason kids get hooked on drugs. athletes,band member's, top in their class. i've seen things i never wanted to see from kid's like our's. if you saw them in a different arena they could be going to harvard.you don't have to be from the other side of town anymore. things have changed since we were kids. the drug's have broken down all social bariers.
sports does not insure your kids won't fall into this trap. but it is worth the effort to keep them busy. my heart goes out to parents of drug addicted kids.and the kids themselves. i hope the young man can get the help he needs to turn it around. they can't do it alone.

Bluesky:
Great post