I was truly dreading the start of soccer season this year. By the end of last spring I felt like my weekends were consumed with soccer games. I never played soccer. I don't understand soccer. I don't like soccer. Now with both girls on both travel and AYSO teams it would surely only be worse!

After talking in the couples group, where I receive my own continued couples and parenting coaching, I realized how this was to play out was totally my choice. I could create misery or I could create fun and adventure.

Here is what I did...
1. I declared the weekend "Soccer Mania - the official kick-off to soccer 2007!"
2. I decided I would learn as much as I could about soccer.
3. I played soccer videos (best goals) in the morning as the girls got ready. (While I pretended it was to get them psyched, I couldn’t keep my eyes off of it and was awed at how they moved the ball down the field and into the goal.)
4. I got my own exercise in (not just be a spectator). During the “pre-game” time I brought our dog and got both of us some of our own exercise running along the lakefront.
5. I enjoyed the beauty of the day and the warm sun on my face.
6. I watched our girls play. (I mean really watched and stayed off my phone)
7. I talked to the girls. We did a post-game recap and they rated themselves on a scale of one to ten with the following standards:
a. Having fun.
b. Doing your best.
c. Telling the truth.
8. I talked alone with my husband about all the feelings I was having watching them play. (It is very stirring to watch your child perform and balance between pushing them to their best and wanting them to just have fun.)
9. I went to a professional soccer game! We brought our Brazilian au pair and the whole family to the Brazil v. USA soccer match. It was fantastic! I loved watching them – it was like a dance.
10. I declared soccer my new favorite sport!!

What this reinforced is the power of choice. It is my choice and responsibility to enjoy myself and be a delight. It didn’t do anything that significant, but how I was and my attitude about what we did was what was important. It was also contagious. The whole family was uplifted. We took it into our next weekend and ended that one by staying after the game and playing soccer just with our family!

This story shifted our whole family's experience of a typical soccer weekend. By me choosing to make it fun and an adventure we all felt closer.