Tuesday, May 01, 2007

HE DOESN'T BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM APPARENTLY




Game on!!!! We had week three of soccer. This time I came sporting my Guess sweatpant capris and pink hooded sweatshirt - cause you know... ahem ... it helps me support my kids. LOL ok whatever, I just can't do grungy sweats. I got myself a nice canvas chair to park myself in, and brought Karis' folding buggy chair so she could sit on the sidelines and keep me company. Things are going much better. Kierra still won't wear her jersey, but that's ok. Half the kids don't want to either. She actually went to the next field and ran across to the baseball field. I ran after her yelling for her to come back. I was terrified she'd get a fly ball in the head. When I grabbed her hand I thought she was chewing on something so I told her to spit it out. She hawked this big ole loogy in my hand. Apparently she wasn't chewing on anything. Nice hand of saliva later...

The sidelines: where all the parents gather round to clap and offer words of encouragement to their preschoolers who don't seem to grasp the concept of a foot connecting with a soccer ball. Thank goodness for shin guards is all I have to say. But you know, we all take it in stride and constantly remind ourselves that this hour is more about our amusement of our children's lack of coordination, and also to plum tucker them out so they sleep like the dead later on. We clap when our teams scores, we clap when the other team scores, we clap when our team scores on themselves. Honestly, how can you not???? Besides, we are just trying to instill sportsmanship right? They are trying their darnedest.

Apparently not for one fellow soccer dad. He has three little boys all under the age of five playing on the same team as our twins. As the kids were playing, two of his kids kept coming back to him, either crying, pouting or just plain bored of the game. At one point, one of his little guys came off the field looking ready to burst into tears and I heard the father yell, "Stop acting like a girl and go play!"
NICE!!! Why do men feel that comparing a boy to a girl when he's not excelling at something is justifiable? What message does this send to his sons? That girls are less than boys? That boys aren't allowed to feel sad, disappointed or bummed out? I actually turned and looked at him; because you know me - I have to make a point of making it known I heard him clear as day so he gets the message that he's an idiot. I think he realized what he had said out loud and how it sounded, and just kind of shut up after that.

Now I do understand that I am a mother of girls only. But I DO know for a fact that neither my husband or myself would ever talk down to our son (if we had one). I mean c'mon get off the macho track already!! I know, I know - there is social expectations of gender roles and people have a hard time getting away from that. But still, I don't think he was doing his kid any favours with his comment. I was tempted to tell Jenna when she got hit in the face with a ball to shrug it off, be tough and don't act like a boy. LOL you know, just because I like being an arsehole once in a while. I think it was sad that this guy just didn't let his kids enjoy themselves. How could they with their dad giving them so much grief?

OHHHH before I forget, I did send MamaLee, Catwoman their interview questions on email, and will get out the rest of my interviews today so be on the lookout!!!

8 comments:

Tuesday Girl said...

Oh I just can't wait!

Fratzels said...

I'm with you on the grungy sweats in public - well, for me, it's grunginess in general in a public place. I just don't understand it.

I hope neither my husband or I ever talk that way to our son. Although I have been known to say, "shake it off." when he has minor incidences that don't require soothing. I hope, but ca't say for sure, that I would do the same for a daughther if I am ever blessed with one.

Anonymous said...

Oh my, you always play my fave tunes on here, lol. Thanks for the well wishes yesterday, I am doing amazingly well the doc says!

Slackermommy said...

I hate that macho crap. Luckily my hubby agrees and doesn't use the macho thing on our son. We pretty much treat our son and daughters the same.

Maddy said...

Fortunately our whole family is allergic to any form of physical exercise, American as well as cricket. I think it must be genetic.
Cheers

Anonymous said...

I HATE when I head dads talk like that to their boys. I am a mom to two boys and DH would never say that shit to them.

Mom not Mum (Sandy) said...

Ugh. I've got 2 boys and I don't think it would even occur to us to tell them to "quit acting like a girl" probably because our girl is more rough and tumble then they are so that wouldn't really mean anything now would it?

Molly said...

Hello, I am visiting from Sunshine. I have enjoyed reading this entry. I am the mother of two grown up sons. Even though I made plenty of mistakes as a mom, telling the boys "to stop acting like a girl was not one of them."