Work & Play

Hi, All, hope you and yours are doing well. I've been busy with work (covering for my boss on vacation,) trying to Do A Really Good Job for the woman who's evaluating me for my annual raise. Plus, she's great and a pleasure to work for, a working leader with patient care responsibilities. It's amazing how close my work group, "The Peds Team" is, even though all 10 of us work out of our home offices all over California. We use email, telephone conferencing, and instant messaging. We have face to face meetings a few times a year and IT Works!! Can't beat the commute to the old home office, especially with the price of gas.

Well, enough about work, been busy with Community Swim Team Championships. I volunteer in the canteen for the Swim team meets and am proud to say I know how to make 144 Breakfast Burritos (scrambled eggs, ham, and cheese, wrapped in a flour tortilla. You start with cracking 200 eggs...) I am happy to support our son's efforts and marvel at how hard the children work and how much they improve. Alot of children in our neighborhood go on to swim on the high school team and even a few swim competitively in college and Olympic trials. Very cool to see your 10 year do a individual medley (one lap each of back, breast, butterfly, and freestyle strokes) and do it legally with correct turns, kicks, and arm movements. With two sons who play sports for FUN and a husband who referees soccer, we have seen our share of Ugly Parents who take this stuff WAAAAAY Too Seriously. (All kids care about is the snack.) My attitude is put up or shut up, "You go out there and swim 50 yards of Butterfly and then you can chastise your kid". I'm glad it's the exception for our neighborhood swim league, not the rule.

I've never understood parents who lose perspective on sports.I know, alot of parents live vicariously and all that, but GROW UP! You had your chance; to be the next ARod, Tiger Woods, Olympic athlete, whatever! Let your kid enjoy the game, maybe, just maybe, a love of fitness, fun, and play will become part of your child's life. That's the best gift. I have a love of being active and the outdoors because my parents took us to the beach, taught us to swim, fish, ski, and bike. I remember going to the golf driving range with my two older brothers. Boy, if you are having a rough day with your siblings, go hit a bucket of balls. I was also inspired by my brother Jim to study the martial arts and I hold two black belts in Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido. (Please do not be impressed, like graduating from Martial Arts Kindergarten.)
Being active has deepened my relationship with my sons. Boys are kinetic creatures, not open to sharing problems or feelings like girls in a seated heart to heart. Taking a walk, riding bikes, throwing a ball often help the boys and I get back on track and talking.
That's it for this Sunday, except sending my best to you and yours and Whatever Active Thing brings you a smile and helps blow off some steam!