Young Ones

by Ryan Krzykowski

This blog is intended for coaches, it’s not a how-to guide for parenting.  That said, in our present situation I’m doing a lot more parenting than I am coaching sports these days.  And while not all coaches are parents with children at home, many are, and perhaps today those coach/parents out there could use a word of encouragement.

Some of the greatest moments of my life came when I met each of my four sons face to face for the first time.  There’s really nothing like it.  Some of my happiest moments have come from my boys as well — being with them, watching them play, building a lifetime of memories together.  It’s pretty great.

At the same time, those four people who have brought so much joy into my life have also played a part in some of my greatest frustrations.  We had a 3 year old who used to throw the most hellacious fits at home and in public.  It was brutal.  It felt like that season of our lives would never end.  But eventually the behavior ran its course and we made it through.

Speaking of frustrations, a day comes to mind when our one year old woke up during a nap with a full poopy diaper, and decided to smear the contents of his diaper all over the room.  Luckily for me I wasn’t home at the time, and my poor wife got the honor of cleaning it all up.  But when the same child did the same exact thing later in the day, I received a phone call and was told to come home immediately because this time it was my turn to clean things up.  That was a crappy day for sure.

The reality is that my children have brought out some of the best and worst in me.  They have provided some of the greatest joys and most miserable moments I’ve ever experienced.  To be sure, the good outweighs the bad by a wide margin, but parenting is a challenge under the best of circumstances.  And right now in our quarantined state with schools closed and families feeling the crunch in a variety of ways, these are not the best of circumstances.  So to all the parents out there, sharing your home with your family pretty much all day long, we know sometimes it isn’t easy.  And for those whose kids are small, I can only imagine how long these days might seem.  I know you’re doing your best to enjoy the extra time.  You’re taking walks, reading together, playing games, home schooling and much more.  But there are those moments when it’s not pretty.  In those tough moments, know that you aren’t alone.  Know that you’re in my prayers, and thank you for being a great parent during these unusual and confusing times for your children.

Let’s Coach With Purpose…