7 Things I've Learned About My 7 Year Old

I have to post about baseball. I'm not sure that I have actually had one dedicated to it this season. What a great season it has been! We weren't the best team, but at the end of the season the boys really rallied to end strong. They made it to the semi-finals and fought for every run and every out that they got. They are fighters, no doubt about that.

Throughout this season I have learned a little about Cole that I guess I probably knew, but I really have seen it in action. Here goes...

1. He is harder on himself than we could ever be...he gets that from me honest.

2. He really does learn from his mistakes. He played 2nd base this season and in the last two games, he probably played the best games ever. It's like I could see the light bulb in his head go off and things started to click for him. As a result, he made some really awesome plays.

3. He adores his dad. After EVERY play he made or didn't make, he looks to his dad for the next piece of advice or affirmation. It's priceless.

4. His love for sports was not created by us, but it's just 'in him'. I truly believe that God created him with this passion and I love it! And, I know his dad loves it too.

5. He is such a good kid! I know, I know, I am biased and I'm supposed to think that...but really it's nothing we did, he's just a good kid. He listens to his coach and you only have to tell him once and he adjusts...wish it was like that with everything, but I'll take it!

6. He loves his baseball team friends. There have been several games where it was inevitable that when he got up to bat, someone else was going to get out. It upset him more that his teammate got out, than it did when he got out.

7. He needs positive feedback, he already knows the negative. This kind of ties in with the first, but it is a little different. He needs this from us in order to get over the negative. If the ball rolled under his glove, if his batting was off, if he didn't run fast enough...he knows. No need for me to point it out...so we point out what he did right. Don't get me wrong, we are still working on this, but I hope that he can say we always encouraged him. Nobody's perfect, especially when you're 7.

This has been such a fun year and age. It's sad that in a few short weeks it will be coming to an end (because he turns 8 in June).

I love organized sports for so many reasons, but mainly because it teaches good life lessons, like discipline, character, self-control, the list could go on and on. In a society where everyone is always worried about someone getting upset, there is always a constant in sports...there is only one winner. I know that might sound harsh, but such is life. In almost every situation in life, it usually comes down to one person, one team, one company, etc.

Losing isn't easy, but it's unavoidable and I want to teach my son to lose with dignity and win with honor and always keep his head held high because no matter what the outcome he gave it his all!

Love you Cole!!!