YOUTH SOCCER - AN ADULT WEEKEND ACTIVITY

So, you have had a long week, full of challenges. Work issues, running around to get the kids to school, after school activities and sports, dealing with bills among tons of other things. Stress level through the roof and wish you could just get away. You realize that it is not possible. What can you do to just relieve some of the stress? Go out and get drunk? Not a good option as the consequences could be high. Go for a drive and listen to loud music? Sounds good but it may not relieve all the stress. You then realize that your kid has a youth soccer game and you must take him/her. As the game begins and you are sipping your favorite cup of java or tea the moments of the game are beginning to slowly creep under your skin. Your encouragement comments quickly turn into loud comments and eventually full blown yelling at your kid, because in your opinion he/she are not doing their best or playing well. Then you realize that the other players are being more physical than your kid and you decide to stand up for your kid and start yelling at the opposition players. That spills to you calling the referee blind and all other explosive comments. The coach at some point has to come into your rage as he/she are not doing a good job managing the team or the game. 

The game ends and while driving away from the game in the car, you begin to point out all the things your kid did not do right as well as what you think the coach should have done and what the referee should have called. Now you have a kid that is just bowing his/her head and can't wait till you stop or the ride is over, whichever comes first. 

You arrive at the house, get a beer and lay at the couch to watch the football game. Your attention is now shifted to the football game. Are you feeling any better about the youth soccer game that ended? No because it does not matter and your attention is shifted to the football game. However your kid is still trying to recover from all the comments and yelling you did. He or she do not remember the score of the game or what really happened. He/she remember how dad behaved and how they felt at the time.

The lesson here is, DO NOT use the weekend youth soccer games to relieve your stress as if you keep repeating the habit your kid at some point may say this is not fun and I do not want to do it any longer. I QUIT.

Instead find another activity to release your stress.

PS: This is not limited to just dads as some moms are just as guity.
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Signed
A caring coach