60 Feet 6 Inches To Home

Don't be THAT parent We are less than a month into our baseball season and already we have encountered "That Parent". You know the one. They stand right behind home plate arguing balls and strikes. They yell at other players when errors are made. They coach from the stands, at the fence and outside of the dugout, using a Gator-Aide delivery as an excuse to be there. They make games uncomfortable for the other parents and fans, not to mention their own child. Sports of all kinds can be a great way for kids to learn skills that will carry over to everyday life.  They learn cooperation, work ethic, perseverance and failure. Baseball especially is a game of failure, and often times the success or failure is determined by someone else. The runner feels he beats a throw to first, but is called out. The batter thought a pitch should have been ball four outside, but instead it's a called strike three. These are judgment calls by the umpire. Sometimes however there i...

I grew up in a family dominated by girls and girlie things. My sisters, cousins, and I were very close and we spent a lot of time together. We played house and dress up. My mom owned a beauty salon for most of my life, so we had fun doing each others hair, nails and make up. I did not play sports, I was a dancer and a Girl Scout. We watched musicals and soaps, cooked, went shopping and had late night talks about nothing at all.  I was around boys of course, but in my daily life I was surrounded by females.  Now my family is dominated by men and manly things. I quickly learned that boys are different! They play rough. They are loud. They love sports, action movies and dirt. They consider bathing optional, until around age 13. They would rather eat than shop. They would rather eat than cook.  They would rather eat than do just about anything! Conversations are meaningful, but brief. The less words the better. So, with this realization I made a decision. I needed so...