Our Littlest Viking

We have two “Little Vikings” that play on the local soccer team. This is Schuyler’s second year and she has improved leaps and bounds from last year. The first several games she scored three or more goals, but this morning they had her on an all boy field. Although she didn’t score, she still held her own in what seemed to be more like a rough football game. She has really impressed us with how she hustles after the ball and how she gets in front of the ball, turns it around, and dribbles it down to her goal.

Morgan on the other hand gave me a gray hair this morning I think. She does really well during practice but this morning she refused to put on her uniform and despite my frustration did not make what I said was a “good choice”. Instead she sat on the side lines and looked like such a big girl in her little hoodie. I find it a challenge as a parent in a situation like this morning. On one hand I want her to play of course to have fun, get exercise, be part of a team, but more importantly (at least this morning) to learn about commitment and follow-thru. On the other hand I don’t want her kicking and screaming to the field and not enjoy it at all. So what is the right thing to do? We gave her until the start of the game to change her mind, then she had to sit on the side lines no matter how much fun her friends were having (she didn’t change her mind).

Our “Littlest Viking” however, can’t wait to get out there and laughs and runs after the other kids, and kicks and screams when we have to pull him back from running into the middle of a game.

Curtis and I are a little more like Morgan (kicking and screaming to the field). I think we were ready for soccer to be over the day it started. It is a logistic nightmare to get the kids fed, ready, and to the field on practice nights just to turn around and get home to bed. Then on Saturday mornings to get up, get fed, and get to the games. All in all it really is fun to see the Little Vikings running around having fun.