Very true article

[Solomon]

I think one of the best stories I have ever heard related to this topic was told by a lady that some of you may have heard of named Pat Summit.

 

Her son, Tyler, tried out for the middle school bball team either his 6th or 7th grade year (I forget which) and didn't make it. He came home that day from school devastated and just went into his room. Summit said her first thought to herself was as any mother's would be in her situation - "What do you mean by son got cut? Does this coach not realize who I am?" Then common sense took over and she knew that was not the route to take. She told Tyler that if he didn't make the team there was a reason and that if he really wanted it that he would work hard enough to be better at next year's try outs. Tyler worked his butt off and made the team the next year.

 

I'm very sure she, of all people, could have called the coach, told him her son would be on the team and that no questions would be asked otherwise and he would have been. But what would that have accomplished? Make a 12 year old happy?

 

The biggest problem I see as a guy standing off from afar is that the kids do hurt when things don't go their way (newsflash - it feels the same when you are an adult too). For some reason because of a sense of entitlement, parental pride (I mean, you gotta be able to brag about your kids to the other dads too right?), or just because they are too soft (not necessarily a bad thing in some situations), the parents don't do what is needed - use opportunities where kids fail to teach them how to be a person. If I had to guess, I would say most of it comes down to parental pride.