Now that we've cleared that up, i will say i was SO EXCITED to find a fall youth lacrosse to sign Bode up for (fantastic grammar, i know). SO EXCITED! I rarely use all caps and i just really want to emphasize my EXCITEMENT. For 1st and 2nd graders, they have a club in Colleyville that works mostly as a season-long clinic. Practices. Some scrimmages. No real games or tourneys because the "real" season for lacrosse here in north Texas is spring. I found it and i wasn't too late to sign up. I blew it with soccer. The boys wanted to play soccer (for lack of a better idea). I wasn't thrilled about it because they practice late into the evenings on school nights and it meant a lot of running around that i didn't (honestly) want to do. Also, we've done soccer before and we don't love it. I dragged my feet and missed out (secretly hoping they would forget). No such luck. Bode, especially, was bummed.
So this fall league was just what i wanted. No pressure. Fun to learn a new sport. Love lacrosse and all of its East-Coasty-ness (can't wait to get Soren into a little plaid skirt for field hockey in the future, too!). It was perfect, too, in that it's located in the town we are most likely going to end up buying a home. He could meet kids on that side of town, learn and enjoy being part of a team (it's been awhile. He really likes golf and tennis--more individual sports). This felt like it would be a fun family endeavor and a great way to spend time together one night a week. He'd get to play rough with a bunch of boys and be a part of a team outside of the one he's on in our family. I checked the youth association calendar. The schedule hadn't been posted but most everything looked to be on Mondays, Thursdays and an occasional Saturday. Registered, paid my money, emailed the coach a few questions and waited for more info.
Two days later, "Boys youth 1-2 lacrosse practices will be held every Sunday beginning this Sunday, September 25th from 3:00-4:30pm..." I was SO DISAPPOINTED. Seriously? It ruined my entire day (i guess technically, i let it ruin my entire day). We've made it a rule and basic understanding that we do our best to not do things outside of church and family activities on Sundays. This is something we've talked to the boys about since before the first birthday invites rolled in years ago. No playdates. No shopping. I don't think we've specifically told them "no organized sports" but it falls under this rule. We do our best to do fun family things together so Sundays aren't awful, though, too. Bike rides, games, fun treats; etc. It's always been a family rule.
And there i sat SO BUMMED staring at my computer screen (am i being dramatic enough for you? Because lately? It doesn't take much to get me down, so this? This was devastating!). This lacrosse season was my answer to so many things. An outlet for Bode. A bonding and learning opportunity for our family. A perfect warm-up and introduction before the spring season. A way to get our feet wet and meet people in the Colleyville area before we move there. And on and on. I was CRUSHED.
And then. Then i started justifying. We're usually starting into the bickering and definitely watching golf or football by late afternoon on Sundays. And all of those last few sentences in the previous paragraph went around and around in my head. It all seemed so justifiable.
But then what a poor precedent to set. We've taught these things all of these years and now, well, it's really more wishy-washy than you thought, kiddo.
But the need for a team! Our great family time! The social aspects!
Doug was disappointed but not on Team Justify. I think he was a little surprised that i wanted to talk about it. I told him how i felt and we decided he could play. We'd make this exception just this once. (I am Satan's spawn).
We felt OK about the decision. Today we decided we'd talk to Bode about it. Doug told him that when we signed him up for lacrosse we didn't realize it would be on Sundays, but that we've found out that it in fact is on Sundays. And Bode looked at Doug and said very simply and calmly, "I guess i can't play then." It wasn't a question. It was a simple statement of fact. Lately? Bode has blown up and gotten very angry over much smaller things. This? This was a disappointment but he was not upset. He just knew it wasn't an option. We were really impressed with the kid. He was 100 times more an adult about the whole thing than i was. And that was that. We commended him on how well he took the news and on making a good decision. I slunk away very quietly and we never mentioned we were going to let things slide.
Doug and i talked and decided we'd offer a Bell Family Lacrosse Clinic. We'll take time each weekend to work on learning and playing lacrosse. Bode seemed happy with this. Hopefully when spring season starts he'll have some basic skills and have fun playing as part of a larger team.
I've already emailed the coach and spring season does not involve Sundays (this had better not change in the next few months). Lesson learned and i will now specifically ask that question ahead of time and not make assumptions. And me? I have a lot to learn from my children.
awesome.
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