Hard thing to watch!!!

My son had football practice today. It's so hard to watch him play and try
and compete with the older kids. For some reason, he just isn't a natural at
football like the others. No big deal, really...but I see him struggling and trying
so hard to be like them. And he is so determined. And he never complains and he never gets upset. He keeps on keeping on. He is only 5...but playing with 7 and 8 year olds.
Today after practice I let him stay and play with the other boys while I talked to some of the moms. Usually we are pretty quick to get out and head home. But, today
I agreed to let him play.
Well, he ran and ran and ran. It was like watching someone play keep away and my son was it. The entire time. It got to a point where it was just sad.
The really sad thing was that there was a Coach/Dad out there throwing the football to the boys...and not once did he ever say, "Garrett...here you catch this one." Nope, he would throw it to all the older boys that had been playing for 2 years.
I finally said, this is enough. "Mommy to the rescue!!"
I said, "Hey coach...think you might want to toss the ball to Garrett too!"
He just looked at me and laughed.
Well...I was steamed!!! If kids weren't around I would have given him an ear full. But, no...I couldn't make a scene like that. I'm sure it was bad enough, me asking him to toss the ball to Garrett. So, I called GL and said, we need to go home. GL wasn't quite ready and complained the whole time...almost in tears. I finally had to say...loud enough for others to hear..."They don't want to play with you."
I felt so bad for saying that...but he needed to understand.
What a hard lesson to learn today. One he didn't need to learn if that stupid coach would have thrown him the ball once or twice.
So...my heart tells me to pull him out. But, I know all this stupid male bonding is good for him. He really needs to be around men, since his father is never here.
I'm very upset at that coach...but I'm trying to be big about it and teach my son to ignore ignorant people.
When we got home I gave Garrett a big hug and told him how sorry I was. I said, do you still want to play football?
He looked at me with his big eyes and said, "Of course I do! I love this game!!!"
That's my boy!
My mom says it is always so much harder on the parents than the kids.
As we got ready for bed, we practiced a reading book and he told me after he was done that he wasn't going to talk to anyone that is mean to him any more.
We talked awhile about football and he said, Mom...I just get upset that the coaches don't ever talk to me like they talk to Bret and Zack. (the really good players on the team.)
So, I had to explain about the differences between offense and defense.
I told him that...a lot of coaches spend lots of time with the kids on offense because they are the ones that score touchdowns.
I told him, but let me tell you a secret. A secret that i learned from a really Great football coach.
I said, Offenses will win football games....but Defenses WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS.
Of course...Garrett smiled and said, I play defense, Mom!
I said...yep...And the Defense is just as important than the offense.
He said...Yeah...And I win CHAMPIONSHIPS!! ha ha!!! That's my boy!

Well...other than this...GL had another great day at school. I'm nominating him for Gifte and Talented...he is about his age group for language and reading skills. If he passes and is accepted he will take 45 mins every day to go to this Gift Class and do something?? Who knows?
Garrett's counselor is going to test him outside of the school....I just want to make sure that what I'm seeing at home...is right on for this program. I want to make sure that this is the right thing to do for GL.

Morgan had a great day at school...when we got home...she said, Momma!!! My friends are nice to me today! She said, Momma...Christian was nice to me too...but I wasn't nice to my friends momma. She said, The teacher told me I had to keep my shirt on in school! Where did that come from? I told her please Morgan keep your clothes on at school.
:)
She loves to chime in and be apart of the conversation. It's hard sometimes when dealing with this to remember she is sitting right there listening to it all. Well..the kids are tucked in and fast asleep.
I guess it's my turn.

Hope you have a gread night.