Fitting In

As hard to believe as this is, I am having trouble fitting in somewhere. That somewhere is football for Declan. I felt the same way when tackle-football started last summer, but there I knew a few people and one was the coaches wife, so fall football was manageable; flag, I am not having the same luck. None of the kids go to the same school as my kids or live in our neighborhood, therefore, I know none of the parents and Declan none of the kids.

When I go to practice, I sit with the girls and read or do homework with them, but most of the time Ben meets me directly from work and I take the girls home. Alot of the other kids come to practice with their parents and their fathers hang by the coaches "helping out" and that is great, but Ben comes right from work in a suit and tie and little desire to run around dressed like that.

Because of these factors, I feel that neither Declan or I(and Ben) are really connecting to the team/parents/players. I also think this effects the amount of time he gets on the field. I am in NO way suggesting that Declan is the best one on the team or even good, but there are other kids that are just as bad. I also think that he is young and at 8, your really need a coach that teaches you the game and makes you want to love it and play. In the Fall for tackle he had that. His head coach for fall was wonderful and although Declan was not very good and lacked confidence, Coach Steve always made him feel like he wanted to keep trying.

I am sure I am just being an over-bearing mom who feels like they are being forced to watch their kid get picked LAST, every day in P.E. and that sucks. It sucks for me, but it really sucks for him. I wish I knew what to do to make it different.

For now I guess I will work alittle harder to fit-in. I will practice more with Declan so that he can improve his skills. And then I will hope that he is not taking all of this as personal as I am.