We took all four kids for their second game this season and wouldn't you know it...it went 14 innings. 14 innings!!!! 14 innings with kids is a challenge, but our experience became kind of like being in the ring for 14 rounds. It was a four hour opportunity for the kids to master the art of requesting things (I really think they're asking for something new everytime) and for us it was about us sharing our wide range of ways to answer them with the word "no". We allotted everyone (including ourselves) $5 of spending money. They could spend it on whatever they wanted since we'd all had lunch before entering the ballpark. The boys were focused on how to stretch and even join their money. While the girls were focused on movement and being anywhere but in our seats.
We managed to get some smiles and laughs out of them. It was incredibly fun!
Afterwards, about 1,000 children including our four were able to run the bases. This is something done after every Sunday game. They all did well, now if I could only get them to all look at the camera and smile in the same photo...a new goal in my life.
I see how something as simple as a ballgame helps me realize how much of a team us Ericksons are. Dylan and I stayed in our seats and watched the long drawn out game, while Mark and Taylor, Sabrina and Veronica were much happier walking the stadium. Mark saw the line of kids waiting to run the bases and thought it was out of the question, I glanced at it and said, "let's get in line". We really are a good team, Mark and me. And the kids respond well when we allow one another's strengths to shine through and support the other. Because of our different strengths and ablility to meet the kids where they were at...everyone got to do, see, eat or visit something in the park that made it memorable and special to them....even with all of the begging. I had a great time and am so glad that we had another day at the ballpark.
No comments:
Post a Comment