Winter Camp

Shane's at Nana and Pop's for a week! They drove through Saturday on their way back from a visit north (Uncle Matt's birthday is the 6th). He will stay and play with the cousins all week. I know he'll love it.

On the homefront, the house is weirdly quiet. I told Carrie I had empty nest syndrome already.

Conference Tournament

I drove almost an hour and a half to coach at the conference tournament. We had one kid finish second and a pair get third. All three qualified for the regional tournament.

We also had one kid mouth off at a ref not once, but twice. He was ejected from the tournament. The refs went out of their way to allow a second chance he didn't deserve. Then he blew it. I hope he learned a life lesson from it, because it was idiotic by my reckoning.

Coach mentioned again that I should apply for the job next year. I told him I liked the middle school gig and I couldn't coach both. Maybe that will change when Shane is older. Family comes first. I don't want to disappear from 8 AM - 7 PM five nights a week plus duals and tournaments until Shane's on the team or a disgruntled teen who doesn't want to see me anyway.

Choo Choo

We found a train simulator at the Goodwill on Sunday. Shane's a fan! Carrie drives.

S'Winter

It hit 60 degrees F today. There aren't a lot of kids in the neighborhood, but they all came out. Shane took a two-hour nap after church and small-group so we weren't out for too long. 

Ben and Raheem went "snowboarding." Ben could stand up down the 'hill.'

After the library, Charlie, Shane, and Raheem ran up and down the street.

Charlie's dad, Matt, had his drone out earlier. Shane napped through most of that.

I like Sundays.

Book Run +1

"Ok, we're going to the library," I said. "We have overdue books to return and the library closes at 5."

"Can I go with you if I ask my mom?" Raheem asked.

"Sure."

Raheem ran home. Shane and I waited.

I expected Raheem's mom to say "no." I met her once in passing. I'm basically a stranger.

Raheem returned a couple minutes later. "She said I can go!"

Really? How does she know I'm qualified? Are there any forms to fill out? Who is your family's primary medical provider? What if dinosaurs attack and there is collateral damage when the military retaliates? 

"Do you know your mom's phone number?"

Raheem rattled it off. No need to panic there.

I wrote my number down. "Take this to your mom in case she needs to contact us."

He ran off again and I scratched my head. Shane cheered.

And that's how I know I'm old. I made it complicated. It was a simple for Raheem: "My friend is going to the library and I'd like to go, too!" He didn't hesitate to ask.

We went when Raheem returned. I felt better when we saw Sherwood outside. He waved. 

We returned half an hour later. There were no ambulances or police reports. There was a piggy-back ride and I played Hank the Cowdog on the way home. Raheem didn't have a library card, but the library had a book exchange for such an occasion. 

I bet we go again after wrestling season ends.

Wrestling Extremes

This has been a year of contrast.

Last year, I worked with the 6A State Runner ups. Our room was new, but I thought it small. We had multiple state place winners, an ex-All-American coach, and one of our wrestlers got a scholarship for a Division 1 school. The varsity team traveled to find tournaments stout enough to compete in.

This year, I worked with a team that finished 16th in a 16 team tournament. A pair of NOVA teams participated and cleaned house. They tied for first place with a 189 team points. We had 24 with a pair of forfeits. Our wrestling room was frigid. There were no working vents in the room. I didn't bother to clean the mats a few nights, because no one really sweat and the room was about the same temperature as my refrigerator. What gunk could grow in that?

I plan to work with the team again next year. Wrestling is clearly not a priority here, but I want to help change that.

The Things Kids Say

“Is there a baby in your belly?” Shane asked

Carrie's eyes bugged out. “What!? Why is that?” 

Shane reached up towards a boob.

“I thought these were babies in your belly.”

Old Cartoons

Thanks to the technology, Shane can re-live my childhood TV viewing experience, but improved.

There are no commercials or set times when the shows come on. Entire series can be binge watched in sequence and paused for bathroom breaks. DVDs and streaming allow for pin-point and instant rewind/fast-forward action.

Shane started on Ducktales and Rescue Rangers before the snowtastrophe. Carrie and I were sick of Little Einsteins. We have DVDs of Talespin and Darkwing Duck, too. During the snow days, I let Shane start Voltron. He loves it. There were a cluster of episodes I never knew existed.

The danger here is to dwell too much in the past. I don't think many of Shane's future friends will know what Exosquad or Centurions are. Shane needs to be able to connect with his peers not mine. I can reminisce about the shows and toys with my friends, but those toys don't exist on store shelves now (and many 80s cartoons were not-so-secretly 30 minute long commercials......and awesome). 

On a side note, I started to make a list of cartoons I wanted to share with Shane from my childhood. I was well past 40 shows with episodes I could vividly remember when I stopped. How much TV did I watch as a kid anyway?

Productive Stalling

"Time for school," I said.

"Wait, Dad! I didn't do my homework yet!" Shane replied.

We got it yesterday. It certainly wasn't due. However, if there was a more productive way to stall I don't know what it would be. Shane practiced his "m's" and "n's" and we went in late. It was good timing. The kids were about to play outside in the snow as we arrived!

Winter Sports

"Shane, I can cook dinner and we can stay home or you can have crackers in the car on the way to wrestling," I said. "Which do you prefer?"

Shane thought a moment.

"Crackers and wrestling!"

"Are you sure?" I wanted to verify.

"Yeah! Yeah!" Shane bounced around.

It was my turn to think a moment.

Did Shane really want to go to wrestling or were the crackers what he really wanted? Shane's a clever little guy, but he doesn't think much farther than instant gratification. Then there were the roads. I didn't really want to be out on them. Frankly, I preferred to stay home.

Another test was required.

"Okay. Here's your next choice: Do you want to stay home and eat crackers or go to wrestling and eat crackers?"

"Umm....Wrestling and crackers!"

His answer never wavered when I asked again (I really wanted to make sure!). We honored his choice.

I'm wonder about Shane and wrestling next year. He may have been too young this year. I hope that he'll show an interest going forward (as a coach, I'm rather into it).

He spent half the practice not practicing and interested in videos and video games. There was one boy on a cell phone while his brother practiced whom Shane really wanted to meet. The other half he did some half-hearted wrestling. Shane doesn't really like to drill. After a move, he flops on his back, laughs, and rolls around. Most of the other boys aren't interested in a partner like that. They moved on. Shane did practice moves with me, but that's not really being part of the team. I was thrilled whenever he did participate.

Shane had some difficulties adjusting to soccer, too, but he mostly got with the program by the end (minus the playing actual games). Wrestling practice is more demanding. Soccer was an hour. Wrestling is an hour and a half. There's more instruction and push-ups. In wrestling, you have to work closely with a partner. Sometimes you get thrown around. In soccer, everyone had their own ball. There were team and partner drills, too, but not on the same level of expectations.

Or maybe I expect too much. I don't coach soccer. I've started to recognize and be recognized by a chunk of the other coaches, parents, and wrestlers. I didn't discover wrestling until high school, so I don't know what to expect of or from a pee wee. I don't see any other kids flopping around like a seal while coach talks, but maybe they all started out that way!

There are great benefits from being on a sports team. Exercise, friends, learning....I hope Shane chooses to take and enjoy the opportunities. I'd love to share wrestling with him. My dad and I bonded over my time on the team.

In the end, I'll drive and support wherever his passions lay.

Plus, the kids got energy to spare. He needs the practice to learn how to focus in and stay still (enough) at times!

That's my boy! Absolutely dadgum highly delightful.

I need to figure out what sort of spring sport Shane will do next. Baseball? Soccer again? His coaches are coming back. Taekwando? Or maybe piano but can he sit in one spot?