Sports Kids Moms & Dads

I just watched a show on Bravo called "Sports Kids Moms & Dads." One of the families profiled is a father who says he never fulfilled his dream of playing in the NFL. Concerning his 8 year old son, Trenton, the father declares: "His future and my future are tied to his dream of being an NFL football player." Nope--that's not the creepiest part. How about this quote: "I believe we choose our parents, and I believe Trenton chose me because he wants to play football."

That reminds me of the time I went to a "Guardian Angel Workshop" for 3 hours of laughs (that's another blog in itself). The instructor told us that we do indeed choose our parents and I told him that Andrea Yates' children did not choose wisely.

Another family on the show consists of a Texas mother who spends $15,000 a year on her 8 year old daughter's cheerleading training. When did she know her daughter had cheerleading potential? "When Sarah was 18 months old, she had this incredible point. She had this incredible arch in her foot." Can you believe that? She waited until Sarah was 18 MONTHS OLD before she even bothered to notice that Sarah was quite possibly the LeBron James of Pom Poms. Sarah will never be able to make up that lost time. *Sigh*

Sometimes I wonder if my parents tried to live their dreams through me. I think my mom always wanted to be a professional room cleaner and that's why she pushed me so hard to be the best. Every day before school it was, "Clean up your room." And then after school it was, "Make sure your room's clean." Even on the weekends, "Your room. Clean it. Now." I had to sacrifice a lot. While other kids were out playing I was perfecting my dusting technique. Who knows where I'd be today if I hadn't choked during Nationals my 6th grade year? Damn that Lego! How did I miss it?

My dad, on the other hand, must have had childhood dreams of being a world class mime since he was constantly cultivating in me the skillful ability to "Shut the hell up."