Once upon a time, I was a hockey mom.
I was totally cut out to be a hockey mom too.
You're cold? Sorry, you should have put on another layer before we got to the rink.
You got checked? Go check that kid right back!
...and my favorite as well as most frequent ...
Why are you off the ice? Are you bleeding? No? Well practice isn't over and I don't want to see you again unless there is some blood involved.
And I meant it all.
I'm not a hockey mom anymore. I am a wrestling mom. Practices each week are one thing. Most of the boys get hurt from time to time. You see them cry. It's hard when the one crying is your own baby, but at the same time you know they are OK. They are among friends and someone is always quick to distract whoever gets upset. And they go back to smiles just like that.
Not so with tournaments.
Last week was our very first one, after almost six months of practices. It was exciting and heartbreaking all at the same time. The Doodle Bop gained the confidence he needed taking first in his bracket. He was the one I went in worrying about. He is the one who doesn't do as well in practices when matched against his twin or other friends. The Bunny Bee took second in his bracket. It was the Big Guy that I was crushed for. He didn't win a single match.
It was so hard to watch him go out there each time and get taken down over and over without scoring any points ... but I am beyond proud of that kid because while I watched other kids from other teams quit, leave the mat and cry (sometimes during the match even) my baby kept at it. That kid is my hero.
Something bothered me after we got home. The boys seemed older, more experienced. I started looking up the rules and realized that the Big Guy is most likely the youngest kid in his entire group. Just eleven days separated him from the bracket his brothers (as well as his entire team minus one older boy) are in. While it doesn't seem fair now, he will at some point be the oldest and biggest.
We had several pep talks this week. And we went from insisting we were quitting, to maybe even starting to look forward to today's tournament. The Doodle Bop took silver (second) in his bracket, the Bunny Bee copper (fourth). During one match, this boy was doing a number on the Bunny Bee and I was fighting back tears as I watched him fight back tears, struggle to breathe and try to continue wrestling. He came off the mat with instant bruises and scratches on his shoulders and it killed me.
Watching another child shove your child's head into a mat? Makes you second guess so many things. It's a sport. It's just a game. But you have these moments of ... oh my God.
The Big Guy had to wrestle five times because his bracket is large. He lost the first one ... but that second one? Went on forever. I have never seen him fight so hard. And he won. It was amazing! Several of the team parents had made their way over to cheer him on and it meant so much to me. He needed this win. I didn't even care how the rest of his matches went. Now he knew that he could win. Against older and more experienced kids no less.
He lost the three after that. I still didn't care. I had a feeling he took fourth place and we went over to the awards table to find out his standings. Fifth out of six ... I hadn't even realized there were six kids in the bracket. No medal. Only the first four medal. I knew the look he gave me. We walked to the car in silence and I waited for him to get angry with me for "making" him wrestle.
Instead he dissolved into hysterical tears and that was even worse. My heart was broken for him again as he sat next to his brothers wearing their medals - knowing that his entire team walked away with medals - and he was the only one who didn't. The Bunny Bee offered him his medal. It was incredibly sweet. It took everything I had to say No, you earned your medal and he will earn his as well.
I wish I could make him understand that success is not measured in medals, but in progress. The win that I thought would mean so much, now means nothing to him. All he can see is that his entire team got medals again, and he is left out. It hurts my heart more than I can express.
I'm not that parent who feels like everyone should win. I'm not all for the everyone gets a trophy just for participating. But I can see it from his seven year old perspective. All of his friends ... even his little brothers ... why not him. I thought that one win would be just what he needed to get his confidence back up again. Instead, I have tucked a crying child into bed all these hours later.
I don't know that my heart can take it. I don't know that I am cut out to be a wrestling mom.
But I don't get to feel that way right now. Instead it's all We are Corbos. We don't quit. We stick with it. You will earn that medal. I love you. Goodnight.
I shut the door and turn up the music because the crying is making me want to cry.
I know he will earn that medal. And it will feel beyond amazing when he does. It will mean so much more because he had to work so hard for it. It's getting him to see that he can get there that is now the challenge.
Someone pass the wine.
That breaks my heart. It is so hard to watch your kids struggle through things. I hope he can get his confidence and get some wins under his belt.
ReplyDeletenike air max, toms shoes, ray ban sunglasses, oakley sunglasses, jordan shoes, gucci outlet, coach factory, michael kors outlet, juicy couture outlet, coach outlet store, louis vuitton outlet online, true religion jeans, louis vuitton handbags, louboutin, coach factory outlet, tory burch outlet, longchamp outlet, kate spade outlet, ray ban, oakley sunglasses, oakley sunglasses, nike free, oakley sunglasses, polo ralph lauren, true religion, michael kors outlet, coach outlet, tiffany and co, polo ralph lauren outlet, chanel handbags, nike shoes, burberry outlet, ferragamo shoes, coach handbags, ray ban sunglasses, true religion outlet, louboutin, air max
ReplyDeleteninest123 07.08
ReplyDeleteair max, tory burch outlet, longchamp handbags, oakley sunglasses cheap, louboutin, kate spade handbags, michael kors outlet, tiffany and co, coach factory outlet, jordan shoes, michael kors outlet, chanel handbags, polo ralph lauren outlet, burberry outlet, burberry outlet, ray ban sunglasses, louboutin shoes, longchamp outlet, coach outlet, kate spade outlet, michael kors outlet, louboutin outlet, prada outlet, longchamp handbags, oakley sunglasses, michael kors outlet, coach outlet store online, rolex watches, polo ralph lauren, oakley sunglasses, christian louboutin, tiffany and co, air max, michael kors outlet online sale, nike free, ray ban sunglasses, gucci outlet, prada handbags, michael kors outlet, nike shoes
pandora charms, pandora jewelry, juicy couture outlet, swarovski crystal, marc jacobs, juicy couture, converse, rolex watches, karen millen, montre homme, gucci, hollister, baseball bats, hollister clothing store, air max, thomas sabo, swarovski, ralph lauren, vans, sac lancel, supra shoes, timberland boots, louboutin, oakley, converse shoes, toms shoes, links of london, abercrombie, iphone 6 cases, ray ban, air max, wedding dresses, coach outlet store online, pandora charms
ReplyDeleteninest123 07.08
Kate Spade Outlet Toms Shoes Hermes Belt UGG Boots UGG Boots Outlet Louis Vuitton Outlet Louis Vuitton Outlet Online North Face Outlet Store North Face Store The North Face Outlet Louis Vuitton Factory Outlet Louis Vuittons Handbags Louis Vuittons Outlet Online Timberland Boots Cheap Timberland Boots Timberland Outlet Tory Burch Outlet Store Tory Burch Outlet Online Tory Burch Outlet North Face Outlet Store Canada Goose Jackets Canada Goose Outlet Oakley Outlet
ReplyDeleteMichael Kors Outlet Ralph Lauren Outlet Gucci Factory Outlet Gucci Outlet Gucci Handbags Cheap Ray Ban Sunglasses North Face Outlet Store The North Face Jackets Prada Outlet Polo Ralph Lauren Burberry Outlet Hollister Clothing Ferragamo Shoes Tiffany Jewelry Tiffany Outlet NFL Jerseys
true religion sale
ReplyDeletemichael kors outlet online
ray ban sunglasses outlet
cheap air jordans
http://www.rayban-sunglasses.uk
retro jordans
michael kors handbags
michael kors outlet
true religion
huaraches shoes
http://www.cheap--jordans.us.com
kobe shoes
fitflops clearance
fitflops
Cheap Jordans For Sale
tiffany and co uk
cheap jordans online
cheap retro jordans
chrome hearts online
gg
Michael Kors Outlet Coach Factory Outlet Coach Outlet Online Coach Purses Kate Spade Outlet Toms Shoes North Face Outlet Coach Outlet North Face Jackets Oakley Sunglasses Toms Outlet North Face Outlet Nike Outlet Nike Hoodies Tory Burch Flats Marc Jacobs Handbags Jimmy Choo Shoes Jimmy Choos True Religion Outlet ED Hardy Outlet
ReplyDeleteBurberry Belt Tory Burch Boots Louis Vuitton Belt Ferragamo Belt Marc Jacobs Handbags Lululemon Outlet Christian Louboutin Shoes True Religion Outlet Tommy Hilfiger Outlet
Michael Kors Outlet Coach Outlet Red Bottoms Kevin Durant Shoes New Balance Outlet Adidas Outlet Coach Outlet Online Stephen Curry Jersey Vans Outlet Ralph Lauren Outlet
Coach Outlet ED Hardy Outlet Coach Outlet Store Online Kate Spade Outlet Cheap Jordans Coach Purses Coach Outlet Kate Spade Outlet Toms Outlet Louis Vuitton
ReplyDeleteمؤسسة لا تشارك لاغير في التخلص من النمل الابيض بمجرد مشاهدته ولكن المؤسسة لا تترقب سقوط الضرر فيمكن استعمالها كفعل وقائي لمنع ظهور النمل الأبيض من الأساس بالبيت، لاغير عن طريق بخ التربة التي سوف يتم إقامة عليها التشييد بمادة قاتلة للحشرات وذلك في حال كانت التربة رملية.
ReplyDeleteشركة مكافحة النمل الابيض
شركة مكافحة النمل الابيض بالخرج
شركة مكافحة حشرات بالخرج
شركة رش مبيدات بالخرج
شركة الصفرات لعزل الخزانات بالرياض
ReplyDeleteشركة دهانات وديكور بالرياض
ReplyDeleteشركة عزل خزانات و اسطح بالرياض
شركة نقل اثاث بالرياض
شركة رش مبيدات بالرياض
شركة مكافحة الحمام بالرياض
شركة تنظيف بالرياض
شركة نقل أثاث بالرياض
شركة دهانات وديكور بالرياض
ReplyDeleteشركة عزل خزانات و اسطح بالرياض
شركة نقل اثاث بالرياض
شركة رش مبيدات بالرياض
شركة مكافحة الحمام بالرياض
شركة تنظيف بالرياض
شركة نقل أثاث بالرياض
شركة مكافحة حشرات بالرياض
شركة تنظيف مكيفات بالرياض
شركة نقل اثاث ايكيا بالرياض
شركة طارد حمام بالرياض
ReplyDeleteشركة تنظيف مسابح بالرياض
شركة تنظيف بيارات بالرياض
شركة تنظيف مكيفات بالرياض
شركة تنظيف خزانات بالرياض
شركة دهانات بالرياض