Does any softball parent have a life outside softball?

[elizabeth]

I just looked at our softball tournament schedule. We only have 2 weekends off from now till end of August. That means 3 days of team practice during the week, and then Friday, Saturday Sunday of Tournament play every single weekend till August. We only have monday nights free. I am not even mentioning the fact my daughter is a pitcher and we have to fit in pitching lessons and practice. How do parents do it when you have mutiple kids in sports? I am rarely ever home. I am always going out for fast food, because I do not have time to cook at home. Our family is eating concession stand food every single weekend. I LOVE the softball life but it is getting to the point that something is going to have to give. This on the go lifestyle is getting to me and I am not sure even how to slow down? What kinds on things do you put in the fridge for grap and go meals?
How do you balance your life vs. softball.

Tired and worn out mom
Elizabeth

 

[Coach JV]

When we hold a parent meeting with our schedule in hand, we ask
for parent feedback and adjust practice schedules accordingly. The
schedule you present is heavy and I understand your burnout. Personally,
I think this schedule would burn out the players as well. I am tired just reading
your post.

Our team practices
2x weekly with no tournament, and in the summer, only one 3 hour practice
when we are playing every weekend. For me, this is plenty and the parents
and girls love it. I have a life and I am a parent/coach

 

[stephanie]

I often wonder about this. My daughter(10) is ready for Select/Travel SKILL WISE, but she is also on a performing jumprope team, is an actress, sings, and just started playing golf (which is actually kinda funny to watch as she tries to swing the club like she does her bat!) I also have a high schooler who was a wrestler, but is now graduating, and a 7yo who is entering the world of Baseball...

We don't have time to join a select team right now, so we play rec and it's still a lot of fun!

I, however, do NOT give up my occasional poker night....

I'd buy one of those tailgating trucks, with a grill and TV's, and speakers all over the place, and then I'd rig it up even more...People would look at us funny, but then they'd be hangin out with us because it would also come with a fully stocked cooler of cold ones....

 

[SoCalDad]

Don't ask my first wife. She will tell you that softball/life balance did not exist. With second wife made conscious choice that life is on hold for certain times of year (spring, summer softball for DD; fall football for son). During breaks in sports we take real trips and put all talk of sports aside. Works well now. Could have done better the first time.

 

[Coach-n-Dad]

elizabeth, I feel your pain. Are you sure you aren't looking at MY schedule? It is almost identical! 2 weekends off, 3 weekday nights of workouts, 1 night for pitching lessons.

I DO have a life outside of softball. Monday through Friday I have a business that I am building so that I can pay for softball... Oh, crud. This is linked to softball.

SOOOOOOOO, In answer to your question - NO

DW, DD and I all look at this situation like this: DD loves to play softball, DW loves to watch and keep score, I love to watch and work up stats. We all really enjoy the game of softball so what we do in not a chore. ALSO, all of our friends have kids that play softball so we spend a lot of time with our friends. All of DD's friends play softball so SHE spends a lot of time with HER friends.

At this point in our lives, we would rather do something that the entire family loves than to spend evenings and weekends sitting in front of the TV wondering what our 14 year old daughter is doing over at her friends house.....

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I had the luxury of being a full time mom, most of the time, when I was raising the kids. I did teach for a few years, but was off during the summer.

My husband was the governor's chief of staff, so he was gone 80 hours a week.

I had to rely on neighbors to get the kids to some activities and it was better as soon as one child turned 16. School sports were great, because the school transported them for those.

We were young and we just seemed to fit it all in. I can't stand a messy yard or dirty house, so everyone has to make it work. Sometimes, I was able to hire it done.

As far as fast food is concerned, I am a diet pepsi junky but I refuse to pay $1.50 for it at Arby's. I keep a cooler ready to go. The soft drinks at McD's is what adds up.

If your kids will eat veggies, I would have them help me cut them up and put them in baggies. The same thing for grapes and cheese. Crackers are good. My daughter couldn't eat peanut butter, but I consider it healthier than hamburgers or chicken nuggets. My kids would always eat chicken salad. That is pretty easy to make and pack.

 

[absdad]

Wow... I feel like I'm amongst family.

 

[Bishop]

Wow... I feel like I'm amongst family.

Um...you are. Softball Family. I spend more time with my team kids and thier parents than I do my flesh and blood relatives. Unless my brother and his DD are at the same tourney's we are.

 

[mad hornet]

I just looked at our softball tournament schedule. We only have 2 weekends off from now till end of August. That means 3 days of team practice during the week, and then Friday, Saturday Sunday of Tournament play every single weekend till August. We only have monday nights free. I am not even mentioning the fact my daughter is a pitcher and we have to fit in pitching lessons and practice. How do parents do it when you have mutiple kids in sports? I am rarely ever home. I am always going out for fast food, because I do not have time to cook at home. Our family is eating concession stand food every single weekend. I LOVE the softball life but it is getting to the point that something is going to have to give. This on the go lifestyle is getting to me and I am not sure even how to slow down? What kinds on things do you put in the fridge for grap and go meals?
How do you balance your life vs. softball.

Tired and worn out mom
Elizabeth

Was there a problem in there somewhere? Personally we like Wendy's.

 

[Bishop]

Crock pot meals like pot roast w/taters and veggies, chilli, stews, ham and beans, split pea soup are good for meals when you will be home in the evenings late and want something hot and ready to go when you get there. Quickies to cook would be stirfry stuff. Thawed meat in the fridge, frozen veggies to add in and a rice cooker makes it a 20 minute meal. Other stuff we do to make sure of decent meals is make extra on the nights that we are home and have leftovers later in the week. Lasagne, jamalaya and meat loaf do good for that, along with a lot of the crock pot meals and the stirfry's.