I definitely believe you should push your child to be the best at anything they do. But they have to be realistic in the fact that making it to the peak of their field is difficult. Too often the parents don't understand that.

 

I don't disagree that parents take it to the extreme too often... Still, I don't think it's as high a number as you do. LOTS of kids play sports.

If you have parents that are saying that to you, I hope you're able to get some alone time with them without Johnny in the room to hit them with some reality. Talk about doing your kids a dis-service.

 

I try to do that. I often show them the same chart I linked a while back. But too many see their child as the 1 and not the 15,999. And to be real honest with you, often times the people that make these unrealistic claims to me are less educated and less well off financially. I understand their desire for their kid to be successful and make money, but often they don't recognize the myriad ways that the goal can be achieved.

Power ball will cost you 5 mins and $2. Kids sports can cost you tens of thousands of $ and countless hours with the exact same or worse result as the 5 mins and $2.

 

So the enjoyment sports bring your kids is worthless?

You guys buried it there. No where in the article did he say this goes for everyone. He didn't even say it applies to half of everyone. If is applies to 2% of the population then I agree, he off target here. But what if the number is closer to 40%. I think it's alot closer to 40 then it is 2.

 

I'd bet it's a lot closer to 2 then 40...Unfortunately, we'll never know.

You guys buried it there. No where in the article did he say this goes for everyone. He didn't even say it applies to half of everyone. If is applies to 2% of the population then I agree, he off target here. But what if the number is closer to 40%. I think it's alot closer to 40 then it is 2.

Nowhere in there does he even remotely insinuate he is talking to a minority. Not only is he inferring it is everyone, he specifically says if you think I'm not talking to you ("...I know, your family is different...."), I am! Hence he is making over-generalizations and assumptions.

 

I've long-since stopped talking about the content because I'm sure there are Desperate Daddies (and Mommies) that are hoping Johnny is their ticket out and he'll be their 401k, but I don't think it is a large percentage of parents. My issue is with his style, tact, and approach; and Guru's fascination with the author and his choice of constant metaphors. That is where I'm getting worked up. :lol2:

I've long-since stopped talking about the content because I'm sure there are Desperate Daddies (and Mommies) that are hoping Johnny is their ticket out and he'll be their 401k, but I don't think it is a large percentage of parents. My issue is with his style, tact, and approach; and Guru's fascination with the author and his choice of constant metaphors. That is where I'm getting worked up. :lol2:

 

Run Forrest Run

Run Forrest Run

 

:isurrender:

I will just stick this comment in here.

 

I played baseball from the time I was old enough to hold a bat into college. I played football from junior high through high school. Definitely my most enjoyable memories are the backyard (or frontyard) games we played. However, I have to add, in backyard games I broke a wrist, an arm, and in adult recreational softball, an ankle and tore an ACL. I was never injured worse than bumps or bruises in my years of "organized" baseball and football.

 

As far as the article "hitting home"....I think most of us taking exception to any one of us or any writer thinking that they have it right, and the rest of us have it all wrong. That is a an arrogance that I personally find annoying.

As a teacher, I've seen this way too often. I talk with their parents about their child's grades and they respond with something along the lines of, "no problem, he's wanting to play basketball in college." I once had a student ask me if you played football in college would you have to take classes. No joke.

 

As for the bolded part about "moronic parents," I was under the impression the entire thread was more about parents and their failure to understand their unreasonable expectations than it ever was about kids.

Did you tell them that if they go to UNC they won't have to?

Your reading it too literally. Go to the ball field and look around. Chances are none of the kids you see are going pro. That goes for every ball field in America. Yes, some of them will go but can you tell me who they are?

 

But some kids just want to be the best "them" they can be. And quite possibly the best "them" that they can ever get to would be 7th man on their high school basketball team, but the still enjoy summer ball, working out, etc.

So the enjoyment sports bring your kids is worthless?

 

Nope, where did I say that. And for the parents/families that can handle it, he's not talking to you.

Nowhere in there does he even remotely insinuate he is talking to a minority. Not only is he inferring it is everyone, he specifically says if you think I'm not talking to you ("...I know, your family is different...."), I am! Hence he is making over-generalizations and assumptions.

 

I've long-since stopped talking about the content because I'm sure there are Desperate Daddies (and Mommies) that are hoping Johnny is their ticket out and he'll be their 401k, but I don't think it is a large percentage of parents. My issue is with his style, tact, and approach; and Guru's fascination with the author and his choice of constant metaphors. That is where I'm getting worked up. :lol2:

 

Nowhere in there does say he's talking to the majority. As a matter of fact he says there are plenty that can handle it. See past 95.

I think a lot of parents feel this way about their kids regarding sports.

 

[video=youtube_share;KX5jNnDMfxA]

I went to college with a kid who grew up dirt poor and was still extremely poor while enrolled in college. He was a graphic design major just like me. He was constantly working on his comic book.. always... non-stop. The professors kept telling him to focus more on "real" graphic design... so that he could get a "real" job. They told him that he would not make any money trying to make comic books... it was a crowded, non-rewarding field. He did not listen to them.

 

Today he travels all over the world. Paul McCartney called him up personally and invited him to his castle so that he could watch him make art (his comic book character) for a day. He has done work for Tori Amos. He has helped on several motion pictures, including the latest Captain America. He both writes and draws for major comic book titles. He guest-lectures at universities around the world.

 

I think its a good thing David Mack did not listen to someone telling him he couldn't do it.

Whew! This has been exhausting. Not sure why I kept reading, but I see absolutely no problem with the author and what he is saying. He is spot on as far as I'm concerned. My experiences as a father of four, who all played sports and other activities, coached youth and high school sports, taught school and was a school administrator, can relate to this on all levels. It is not my choice to tell you what to have your kids do in their family life. However, it was very frustrating and almost unbelievable at times what some parents thought and did and said. I on more than one occasion (more than most would believe) had a parent tell me that I was responsible for the kid not getting a college athletic scholarship.

 

Do your thing and make your decisions, but this author is only, in my opinion, trying to say there is more to life than sports for our youth. provide them a balanced life. What is the difference in him giving his opinion, than Dave Ramsey in financial planning, Rush Limbaugh on conservative issues, Keith Olberman on liberal issues?

 

If you are one of those that takes what he says personally, then maybe he pegged you more than you would like to believe.

 

You know, I have always believed no one is responsible for your personal happiness but you. Why anyone would let this guy, Rush, Keith or Dave or anyone else for that matter get you fired up is beyond me?