1. You are the judge and the jury.
It used to drive me crazy that there’s only one main referee in soccer—how can one person be responsible for every call and decision made on the field? Then I realized, it’s much like parenting. Everyone has an opinion or comment about how you are raising your child (and they’re not afraid to boo you and cheer you on—sometimes even throw popcorn at you!), but in the end…you make all the final calls.
2. You’re going to play in bad weather.
Have you ever been to a football game in ten degree weather and three feet of snow? I have. Have you ever lugged a stroller, toddler and diaper bag through the city and up and down subway stairs in a torrential downpour? I have. Just like sports, when it comes to parenting, you have to plan for bad weather. When it’s raining, you still have to make it to that music class or art program. Whether it’s physical rain or the tears of a toddler mid-meltdown, you have to weather the storm.
3. There is going to be a fight.
I love going to hockey games because of the fights. You can almost guarantee the gloves will come off at some point; things get especially heated on the ice during a great rivalry or championship game. But so do parents: All those sleepless nights, rushing out the door late again to work, trying to get a fussy toddler dressed for a birthday party only to find they’ve covered themselves in yogurt—there will definitely be times you will want to lose your cool, either with your child or partner. Just remember it’s normal and it’s okay to step away and blow off some steam.
4. Plan for extra innings.
Baseball can be a lot of fun—endless hot dogs, the wave—but sometimes it can drag into the late hours of the night. Those extra innings can go for hour. That made me think about all those sleepless nights when Max was a baby. Just when I thought I was past the point of exhaustion, he’d be up again and I’d find myself enduring another inning of parenting. Keep in mind: You’ve made it late into the game and the end is in sight!
5. All we need is a little patience.
Ahhh patience. Was it golf or Guns and Roses that taught us this valuable lesson? If you’ve ever played golf, you know that trying to hit a ball into a tiny hole many feet away can be quite stressful. However you won’t get very far if you rush. Just like trying to dress a frustrated toddler, you have to take a deep breath, concentrate and relax. If you force it, you’re sure to miss the hole and get even farther away from your goal. If you rush a toddler, you’re sure to frustrate them even more…which might delay you from ever getting out the door.
6. Take the bet
I’ve been to the Preakness a few times, and one thing I’ve learned is that you have to trust your instinct and pick the best horse. There’s no way to really know who is going to win, but when you put your full heart, faith and belief into it—you at least know you’ve done your best. The same is true with parenting. There’s no way of knowing how your kids are going to turn out in life. You have to just guide them to make good decisions and choices and hope they’ll reach that finish line first.
7. In the end, it’s always love.
Until I moved to New York City, I wasn’t really into tennis—but, then I got to watch the US Open live. With so much love going back and forth over the net, I wasn’t quite sure if this was just a passionate sport or the announcers were as confused about life and relationships as I was. But it proves a great point—after all the blood, sweat and tears you’re left at the end with love. Because love always wins.
