Happy 7th Birthday my Beautiful Annabella!
I cannot believe that you are seven today. It seems like yesterday when we used to laugh about your ever present pouty face. Who knew then that one of your best features would be...
Raising an Olympian
We are a sports family. We have always been a sports family. We play them. We watch them. We attend live events. We have an unwritten rule that each child must always be in some sort of sport during the school year.
The picture above is of my two older children who participate in the IronKids triathlon. They love this event and look forward to it every year. My husband and I look forward to it as well.
We love seeing the kids run, swim and bike. They are competitive but not overly competitive. They just want to finish. And I want that for them as well.
I grew up playing sports. I played them through college. Sports kept me out of trouble. Seriously.
Playing sports kept me healthy and active.
Playing sports introduced me to the concept of teamwork.
Playing sports gave me sisters for life. Girls, now women, who were mostly just like me.
Playing sports helped me focus in school and made me a better student.
Playing sports was always a better alternative to whatever else I might have found to do at the time.
Playing sports made me a part of something amazing. Gave me focus. Direction. Accountability. Drive. Stamina.
I could seriously go on and on. Sports helped to shape the person I became today.
I want the same for my children.
My kids are in the process of finding their sport. They are 5, 7 & 9. The two older kids love tennis. They love soccer and gymnastics as well. Both of my girls love ballet and cheereading. All three love swimming. My son wants to try golf.
I am raising good sports. Kids who love sports and practice proper conduct at all times. After how good of sports can they be with good sportsman-like conduct? They play to the best of their abilities and they play nicely.
I would love to say that I am raising an Olympian. Or Olympians. But the fact is that if any of the three become Olympians, that is just the icing on the cake. I am raising good sports. I am raising kids who love to play.
If they make it to the Olympics, I will be in the front lines cheering the loudest. Crying the hardest (tears of job, of course). However, for right now…I just want them to continue loving sports. To continue to play to the best of their abilities. To keep being kids.
Duracell is an official sponsor of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Team USA may rely on Duracell to power their training devices, but they also need fan support to gain the winning edge. So, Duracell has launched a Virtual Stadium app tab on their Facebook page to help power the athletes by sending them an inspiring message as they go for the gold. Your words of encouragement will become part of Duracell’s Virtual Stadium, which will be displayed on 25+ foot high-tech screens in London this summer at the P&G Family Home (the only place where athletes and families can come together since family is not allowed in Olympic Village). When you submit a motivational message or video, you’ll be entered for a chance to win a trip to the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games or a $500 Visa gift card from Duracell.This was a sponsored post with SocialMoms.
I can only imagine he sacrifices the families make after say grade school. The pressure is so much greater- it turns into having trainers, perhaps traveling/relocating and heaven forbid an injury.
I think the most important thing is like what you are doing with your kids- let them explore, find themselves, experience being on a team all are valuable things unto themselves. The most important though is having fun and enjoying doing what you are doing!