Warning to parents

Parents beware! Organised children's sport has many pitfalls for beginner parents. It is so easy to succumb to visions of your child excelling through extraordinary skill and determination, their hunger for success unrivalled. Other parents glare at you enviously while you pretend not to notice that your child is a sporting god.

Of course its not like this. What really goes on is profoundly more mundane. We have recently joined Little Athletics which presents a few challenges to would be super-Dads. My child for example is not naturally very talented. In running races her place card usually also represents the number racers involved. As she saunters over the line and receives her place card she exclaims "Look Dad I got 5 and I AM 5!"

Which brings me to the next point. Kids just don't care about winning like we do. They don't compare themselves to others, judge themselves according to what others may be doing. "You want me to jump in the sandpit? I guess I could do that. Only if I get MCDonalds later though."

But to be honest most of us can deal with this. Kids are kids right? As long as they have fun its cool. I'll just sit here under the umbrella and watch. Life is good.

But then the pleading starts. We need someone to ref, run sideline, measure, rake, cut oranges, wash jerseys and usher crying kids back to their parents. Thank you so much.

How did this happen. Instead of basking in the glory of my child's success I get sunstroke while trying to organise everyone else's kids. I get abused by parents who were too smart to get suckered in like me. And heaven forbid you get something wrong, because then they question your professionalism as an official. Yeah, it might not be obvious but I don't actually use stopwatches for a living.

But its ok. While I wait for my daughter to finish her race I can always console myself that there will be McDonalds after.