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Thursday, June 2, 2011

Cross country tryouts and why my enthusiasm is tempered

N came home from school yesterday with information about cross-country tryouts in August.  She said she wants to try out.

And I am ok with that, BUT

She has to be able to run 12 consecutive minutes without stopping or walking.
And I don't think N as a 7-year-old completely gets that concept.  I don't think she understands that 12 minutes (at least to her mom) is a lifetime.

And I feel a certain responsibility to help her prepare, which translates into training her or with her.  In July.  In the insane heat.

I don't know if she will be uber-disappointed if she doesn't make it.
I don't know if she DOES make it that she fully understands what it means to have 2 practices a week plus a meet.
I don't know if I'm prepared to try to contain the boys at meets.....although they will at least be outside where they can run somewhat wild.  
I don't know what meets will mean for my schedule.

I do know that I want her to try to do it if she wants to.
I do know that I don't want her to become involved, decide it is too much work, and then every practice or meet be a friggin' nightmare of yelling and haranguing her about going.

Perhaps I am overthinking this?
Nah, I never do that.



1 comment:

Keri said...

I totally understand your feelings on this. I'm kind of dreading when one of my kids gets serious about trying something athletic, because it's such a commitment on the part of the parents. I would be embarassed to express how selfish Dion and I are when it comes to our time against outside activities like that - although a large part of it is guarding our family as a unit, as opposed to spending a lot of time fragmented, with parents running kids all different places.

Tricky decisions, indeed.