I still move the elf and that's ok!

Why Does Childhood Go So Fast?

Childhood is fleeting and time is a thief. I can't tell you how many times I've heard, read, and typed these phrases myself while scrolling or posting pictures of my kids and others. We are blessed with the years we have with them and the memories created.

Where is Their Innocence?

In today's world is seems like technology strips away at those years even faster than previous generations. Society and social media and constant communication and information make it almost impossible for children to retain innocence.

No matter how much we want to preserve the innocence of our children, we as parents, realize sometimes that's impossible.

But, sometimes I guess we get lucky, and our kids are able to retain their own levels of innocence that protects their little hearts.

I still move the elf!

My kids are 12 and 15, and I still move the elf. I'm not very good at it, as oftentimes, he gets "stuck" or "sick" or the weather is too "poor" for him to make it back to the north pole every night... but on those occasions I am reminded by my son that he didn't move.

We celebrate Christmas for the birth of Christ and don't do yearly trips to see Santa, yet the joy of giving and receiving has always been one of the best times of year for our family. The elf tradition simply added another layer of fun.

I can't say for sure how much true belief they have, but last night at a hockey game where Santa and Mrs. Claus attended, my son did not need to go see Santa as he said, "he knew he wasn't the real one," and held my hand a little tighter as we walked. Yes, he still holds my hand...

There are Still Good Kids Everywhere!

I know my kids are not rare. Good kids are not rare. I get to interact with so many good kids at school and in my home when my kids invite over their friends. My 15-year-old can spend an entire day with a friend and all of us, and neither one of them is on their phone. They simply enjoy hanging out together and interacting with us. 

Doubt there is any magic ingredient or recipe we followed to have kids we continue to be proud of; I just think that there is a little kid in every kid, and we have to at least try to not let society steal it from them too fast.

I'm sure there is much more discussion, debate, worry, anxiety, and fears that all mothers and parents face. I could go on about the days with shouting matches, smart-ass comments, disobedience, and such, but today I chose to focus on a positive experience, as it was what filled my heart when I went to sleep last night. 

And for that I was thankful.

Should Parents Choose Their Child's Sport?

I never thought I'd be jealous of a soccer mom until I walked out of the ice rink in the super-sized sports zone to warm my frozen extremities. I glanced over at the indoor turf field and saw the soccer players in shorts and t-shirts and their parents not wrapped in coats, beanies, or gloves, or shivering.

Now That I Have Your Attention

So, now that I have your attention, please know, I have never really been jealous of soccer moms! I have many friends whose kids play soccer and have sat outside at 7 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays and weathered temperatures ranging from 90 degrees to 20 degrees! And that can be said for all parents whose children are in outdoor sports.

Why Hockey?

However, on that first day of ice hockey for my son, I discovered that I was not properly attired and prepared for the cold rink temperature, and this is when I began asking myself, "why has he chosen hockey?"

I am more than excited to watch my son truly in love with what he is doing. He lives on his roller blades playing roller hockey in our driveway and our pole barn. He watches hours of hockey and how-to videos on slap shots, plays, and teams. He has hockey sticks taped up and hockey vocabulary down to a memorized science. He talks to us about it every-single-day. 

While knowing how much he loves hockey brings me joy, there are other factors that weigh on my mind. Things such as the cost, the distance, the schedule, the possible injuries, and so on.

Why NOT Baseball?

His love of hockey has existed for years, but sadly, it never worked out for our schedule, so he has played baseball since t-ball and done both fall and spring ball. In fact baseball has been his second love, or at least the love he could focus on if he couldn't play hockey.

Baseball is easy - easier for mom and dad (this statement does not pertain to all moms and dads, especially those of travel players, but is relevant to my personal story). Baseball is much closer. It is more affordable. It runs fall and winter. It requires less equipment (for the most part), and it is a sport that can be played and practiced in our backyard.

When Should Parents Make the Decision for Kids?

I have asked myself this question in a somewhat serious manner, even though it makes me feel sort of awful at the same time. Is it ever my place as the parent to determine in which sport or activity my child partakes?

Does money play a factor?

Does age play a factor? Is there an age where children are too young to truly know they want to do until they've tried it? Do we as parents know better based on our own experiences?

Does having multiple children play a factor?