I need someone to yell at me please.

[guero_gordo]

I have felt what you felt, maybe not as intensely, or maybe revisionist memory. The times I have felt hatred it turned out to be that I was personalizing the team's/kid's performance, setting unrealistic expectations, and feeling embarrassed. You know the team has some problems originating from the draft, you seem to understand how it's likely to go, so if you can let go of the emotion you can set your expectations realistically. Whether you can enjoy that or not, I have no idea.

I have my chair in the outfield, with a liter of ice-cold Tejava. There are others like me at every game, come on out.
These may help too: Tootsie Pops Assorted (100 ct.) - Sam's Club

 

[rdbass]

Mouth full of these...

makes it hard to talk or yell.

 

[texas4life]

Your in a tough spot I would talk to your DD and see how she feels about you staying at home if she is okay then thats the best bet. If she wants you there I would stop taking the book and taking things to help your focus leave the diamond until she is up to bat or on the field.

I have always had a tough time with LL with my niece and DD. I have tried the coaching and umping route and still the politics are too much for me to deal with so I am that fan you always see mouthing and making motions in my own little tight bubble with a huge bag of sunflower seeds cause those help a whole lot. Have a mouth full and try to yell you will choke and not try it again lol.

But I always remember my girls love the game so I always try to smile and let them enjoy cause I would have hated had someone stopped me from enjoying my sports as a kid.

 

[redhotcoach]

DW advice: get another team mom, go through the game schedule and decide who is designated driver and who gets to take the xanax that day, or if it's a bonus day and a hubby can drive and both of you can enjoy the game.

 

[Classof2020]

Welcome to the looney bin. I think the fact that you realize this about yourself means there might be a chance for you down the road - IF you can incorporate a number of the above ideas - sitting in the outfield, taking walks, playing Candy Crush . . . but you may just need to step away for your daughters sake. Because even if you hide it from the other parents and the team in general if you are internalizing all of that and taking it home she is going to sense a lot of that, and she doesn't need that stress as she's learning. She needs someone to support her and be a sane sounding board. If she moves to travel ball next year though you need to take up golf.

 

[maksoftball]

This is when you need to just stay at home and take a much needed sabbatical from softball. Also, when your hubby and dd come home after practices/games, don't ask how it went. Let them tell you...if your hubby is negative, ask him not to tell you anything negative. Believe me, it helps. Once you feel more comfortable hearing about it, only then can you return to the fields...but take to sitting behind the fence in the outfield. I used to get pretty uptight when DD was younger, but since then, I have grown as a parent/fan/watcher/etc. I am much more relaxed, and I hardly talk about it any more (except to remind DD that she needs to practice - sigh).

It will get better...the bottom line is to let your DD have fun. Period. It's not about you...it's about her and her teammates.

Good luck.

 

[BobInMadison]

There are three kinds of parents

1. Parents who can sit in the stands and enjoy the game without disturbing anyone. I am in this group.
2. Parents who belong in the outfield or further. My DD #3's pitching coach is like this. He has even given pitching lessons while his own kid is playing. He tends to rant and rave a bit, and best to be as far away as possible.
3. Parents who should stay away. FAR away. My DW is like this. Nobody wants her at the game.

Interesting, my DW went from 1 to 3 in a few years. She got to cheer DD #1's first HR, and now DD #3 hates it when DW is at a game.

However, DW loves to watch DS row. She's travelled long distances with or without the family to watch him row, and even chaperoned his HS team a couple of times, even going as far as Columbus, Ohio. Maybe because there are no umpires making calls she doesn't like.

 

[canyonjoe]

here it is.

Every single rec team in the country is like yours. Just be happy you only have 2 loses. Some kids likely don't have parents
who can or will help them. Some are just playing for snack afterwards and some are just playing because it give Mom 1.5 hours
to go shopping 2 days a week.

 

[teammom2]

It's hard not to get caught up in The Game and all it encompasses. In the end it is still a game. The sun will rise and set if the team loses every game. Just try to put the sport in proper perspective. If your family was dealing with a major health issue would softball even matter? If your house was lost in a fire would softball matter? If that doesn't work, watch from the car, lol. **cue Let It Go

 

[Ken Krause]

Here's an interesting experiment. Go out and watch a game where you don't know anyone on either team, so you have no rooting interest. Listen to the parents as they get all upset over the littlest things. It might help you gain a bit of control as you hear what it's like from the outside.