Well, it’s official. I am a first-time soccer mom. We all now that there is a certain image that comes to mind when we talk about soccer moms. Maybe I fit the bill? Maybe I don’t. I am not a huge fan of labels, so we will go with the latter. So, as we close out the first year with our daughter’s first foray into organized sports, it seems appropriate to reflect on what I learned as a first-time soccer mom.
There will be tears.
This has been the biggest lesson not just for her, but for me. As her huge personality has continued to grow, so have her emotions. Anyone who knows her also knows that she feels greatly on the range of emotions. I could see her concentration, working hard to dribble around the cones during practice sessions. When she didn’t score her desired number of goals, oh, there were tears. She was hard on herself and in turn, I was questioning my parenting as she cried seemingly inconsolable tears.
Every match is an opportunity for learning.
Every match is an opportunity for learning.After every match, we tried to focus on the positives and what we could do to improve during the next game. At 5 years old, she is able to set goals for herself and she is able to understand what could have been differently. The biggest opportunities for learning were that she needed to be better about losing. During one session, she was inconsolable because a kid twice her size kept denying her goal attempts. She was mad. From that, she learned that we don’t always win.
Embrace their goals.
But when they do win, we celebrate! Yes, we cheer for all the goals scored on both teams. The smiles on their faces is what brings the parents back Saturday, after Saturday, even though we are all tired after a week of work and school.
Being an official first-time soccer mom has been thrilling for both myself and my daughter. Are you a soccer mom? What have your learned from watching and cheering your kids on from the sidelines?
