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A Letter from a Baseball Dad

Dear Jax,

I’m not the easiest guy to get along with! I’m definitely not the best at cheering you on… I think I make you nervous. But one thing I am great at… IS BEING SO INCREDIBLY PROUD OF YOU!!!

I’ve watched you grow into a confident leader on your baseball team. I’ve watched you cheer on your team when no one else is. Today I watched you pick up a teammate who tripped and carry his bag for him when he was hurt. Then watching a teammate strike out, you were the first one to meet her at the dugout and give her a high five and a hug and tell her not to worry!

You my friend are everything I have ever hoped you would be as an athlete and person. You Jackson have something NOT THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE… compassion, humor and leadership.

I watched you this year work on your swing… let me tell you something, baseball is the hardest sport in the world to play! Ted Williams who is considered one of the greatest, if not THE GREATEST HITTER in the history of baseball said, “The hardest thing to do in baseball is to hit a round baseball with a round bat.” And Deion Sanders (who played nine seasons in MLB including for the Yankees, while also having a Hall of Fame NFL career at the same time) when asked the hardest thing to do in all of sports, he said “Hitting that baseball.”

For some context, remember you have been a switch hitter for six years! That means you take half as many swings as your friends and teammates, because you have to practice swinging both righty and lefty! Switch hitting, Something NOT ONE OTHER PERSON IN ALL OF A, AA, AAA leagues can do! NOT ONE!

In all of Major League Baseball there were only 17 people who could switch hit last year! ONLY 17 of 974 Major League Baseball players can do what you do (thatsmeans 957 Major League Baseball playerS CAN NOT do what you CAN do!!!).

With that being said not many players have what it takes to be a leader, a hard worker and a great teammate. I’m happy you are working lefty and happy watching you get more comfortable at the plate. I’ve never told you this, but I stopped playing baseball in high school because I never really was a good hitter. I know what it’s like to stand in the batters box and be nervous. Everyone who has ever played baseball has felt that way!

I love watching you play baseball. I am so happy when you are out there on the field! Most importantly though, I want you to be happy too! Maybe it doesn’t seem like it, but I am so proud of you. I want you to be successful and maybe I don’t tell you enough… but you are successful. You are a leader, a great player and someone who I would want on my team every single day of the week.

Love Always,

Dad

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Tell Me You Have a First Grader Without Telling Me You Have a First Grader

As a former first grade teacher and now the parent of our second first grade child… It’s pretty simple if you ask me:

All emptied out of our first grader’s backpack the day after a four day vacation (in which he was sent to school with a completely clean and organized bookbag.

PS: Insert eye roll 🙄

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Happy Seventh Birthday Oliver

Dear Oliver,

I feel like seven is an underrated age. Six seems so young… But, seven feels so different. I’m not sure if that means you can watch PG movies now, or maybe you’re allowed to vote or drive a car or something? But I know that the Bubble Guppies loving, Blaze and the Monster Machine quoting little guy… doesn’t seem so little anymore.

There’s still signs of that little guy there. That adorable, innocent, and sometimes menacing smile, wanting to curl up in bed with Mom And Dad in the middle of the night for no reason or a simple request to race hot wheels. Those will always be there. I know they will and mom and I cherish each of those times more than you’ll ever know more than you’ll know at seven years old and more than you’ll know as you grow older, until one day you have children of your own.

Mom and I are in awe of the boy you have become. You’re not just someone’s son or a little brother. You are your own unique person. Watching you develop a passion and love for baseball and football has been truly inspiring. You remind me of me at your age, collecting baseball cards and reading the back of the cards as you unwrap them to learn more about each player is so fun to experience. Watching you trade baseball cards with your brother and talk about sports with him and I or some of the best moments I’ve had over the past year.

This year you just picked up a chapter book and started reading it. You fold your own laundry, you make your own breakfast. You never cease to amaze us. I watch you take care of your cousins, call to check on Bammy and Mima and continue to develop into a kind and respectful boy. You are a leader and your friends look up to you. That’s what life is about… leading with kindness and respect. We can’t ask for anything more.

We have enjoyed watching you live your life through your eyes and your stories. Your crazy stories, your fearless attempts at anything you put your mind too are impressive (and at times scary for mom and I). Yet in the end, it’s those reasons your will be successful.

Anything you put your mind to, you will accomplish. You will never fail if your goal is not perfection, but excellence and improvement. We could not be anymore proud of you and we could not be more excited about what the future holds for you.

Keep being crazy! We love you!!!

Love always,

Dad

January 31, 2017
January 31, 2018
January 31, 2019
January 31, 2020
January 31, 2021
January 31, 2022
January 31, 2023
January 31, 2024
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I Love Watching My Sons Compete

I love watching people compete. I love more than anything the fire that drives athletes to do things no one thinks they can do. Not the champion, not the MVP, but the little extra that pushes people to be the best at what they do (read Slaying the Dragon by Michael Johnson).

When I was younger, I couldn’t ever imagine anyone having the drive that I had because at the time I thought it was just me, like nobody else could understand it. However this fall I watched my boys show up every weekend side by side with their teammates to a game that were so new to them. I watched the fire in their eyes burn and the excitement for each other and their teammates as the weather got colder and the games grew more important.

My sons who showed grit, determination and teamwork. Neither were ready to sign NFL contracts and neither still have a firm grip on the rules (IE Oliver’s stiff arm through defenders, or Jax’ suplex block of a linebacker), but the love they showed for the game itself and what it meant to be a teammate could not be measured by a score or a championship.

While both boys’ teams had a chance at a championship, both feel just short. Short of a win, but not short on the desire to keep playing. Oliver’s loss in the playoff semifinals resulted in him asking if they can plan another game right after, even if it didn’t count. Jax refused to agree to turn in his jersey and helmet, “I don’t want to dad, I love being part of this team!”

While we obviously want them to earn those victories and at times, those are the games we celebrate most, Steph and I just want the boys to have fun and embrace these years doing what they love to do. Of course we want them to develop strong athletic skills (which I sort of sarcastically describe here):

Flag Football

And here:

Tackle Football

I want them to develop strong character traits, self-control, discipline, respect and teamwork, because those traits will last a lifetime. One thing I learned this season, is the drive that I thought only I had… (that young naive thought)… my boys have it and I couldn’t be more proud!

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Brothers’ First Read Aloud)

This blog entry will Chronicle (pun intended) a father and second sons’ first time reading the Harry Potter series together. This time around it’s a twist… As Oliver enters the magical world, this time the narrator will be both dad and big brother!!! I’ll update it after each chapter so that I can capture the most memorable moments. Come back often and check in on our progress and leave us a note or some feedback. Oliver, welcome to Hogwarts!!!

Finally! “I did my waiting! Twelve years of it!” (Well clearly it hasn’t been another 12 years, but I know Oliver has been asking for ages)! I thought we’d be able to make it a bit longer, however there was no keeping this little guy out of Hogwarts any longer. Tonight Oliver and I begin our journey at 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging… to Platform 9 3/4 and finally on to Hogwarts! Wish us luck… then again, we won’t need luck… we’ll be with Professor Dumbledore (and Jax).

Chapter 1: The Boy Who Lived

Oliver: “What’s a Muggle?“

Dad: “What do you think a Muggle is?”

Oliver: “Your Butt.”

Nothing like a good butt joke one chapter in!!!

Chapter 2: The Vanishing Glass

It’s been a bit since all three of us could actually sit down to read together, but tonight provided some much needed magical reading time.

Jax read a few pages as Oliver rolled around the floor, but like his dad he could seem to pay no attention while completely comprehending the entire chapter.

Oliver’s most important part of Chapter 2: acting out Harry talking to the snake:

Coming Soon

Check back often to see updates from our progress reading each chapter! For now check out Jackson’s Chapter by Chapter:

Sorcerer’s Stone: Jax’ Chapter by Chapter Read Aloud:https://chroniclesofanewdad.com/2021/07/01/harry-potter-and-the-sorcerers-stone-our-first-read-aloud/

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Quidditch and Chores

I’m not sure how many other households have broomsticks hanging from their children’s bedrooms doors, but here it’s a common occurrence. The problem is the brooms are just about as good for flying as they are for sweeping.

The question becomes, how do you get your children to do “chores?” I feel like it should be an innate sense for the children. They should just know how to do things. The developmental stages should look like this:

Periods of Human Development

  • Prenatal Development= NO CHORES
    • Easy… your parents fall in love and then you’re born.
      • Chore Example: Just sleep and don’t keep your parents up all night.
  • Infancy and Toddlerhood= EASY CHORES
    • Brain development happens at a remarkable rate, as does physical growth and language development. Infants have their own temperaments and approaches to play.
      • Chore Example: Acknowledge your own mess and at least watch us put away your crap
  • Early Childhood= MID LEVEL CHORES
    • At this stage your child is busy learning language (with amazing growth in vocabulary), is gaining a sense of self and greater independence, and is beginning to learn the workings of the physical world. This knowledge does not come quickly, however, and preschoolers may initially have interesting conceptions of size, time, space and distance
      • Chore Example: Complain that it’s time to clean up your mess and put away your own crap, but still do it once things start getting taken away.
  • Middle Childhood= REGULAR CHORES
    • Now the world becomes one of learning and testing new academic skills and assessing one’s abilities and accomplishments by making comparisons between self and others.
      • Chore Example: Pay close attention to how everyone else cleans up after themself and make sure you at least replicate that in order to not embarrass your parents in front of their friends or colleagues.
  • Adolescence= ADVANCED CHORES
    • Teens typically struggle to become more independent from their parents. With that being said, friends become more important, as teenagers strive for a sense of belonging and acceptance from their peer group
      • Chore Example: If you want independence from your parents and adults in your live then clean up your own crap.

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Flag Football

Flag Football?… Not what I’d expected, but I know enough about football in general to know that Oliver would enjoy a sport where he could run non stop and then occasionally (even though it’s against the rules) tackle someone! He bought in quickly last year. He enjoyed his best friends being on his team and his cool neighbor being his Head Coach (even if said neighbor only had the second best lawn on the street).

Clearly though, I couldn’t just watch from the sideline… I had to coach him. (Which is so completely different from Jax who flourishes on his own and does leaps and bounds better in football without me as his coach).

I soon discovered that football wasn’t just something Oliver would do for fun. It was quickly becoming an identity. One that was also becoming something of a slight obsession. He carries a football around the house and even after two hours of practice he asks if his friends can come over and practice (mind you it’s pitch black outside on a school night).

I can’t help but see how these games are like a practice run for the hurdles and setbacks of life. This football season has so far been a lesson in adjusting expectations. For him and for us. We watched him run for passes he couldn’t reach, have his flag grabbed at crucial moments, and be run over by kids who were bigger and more experienced than he was.

Oliver though, at least to his mom and dad, even in a loss has outshined our own expectations. While his smile is big and he enjoys goofing around with his teammates more than anything, when the whistle blows something happens to him. He changes into a lion, Barry Sanders to be specific. He had exceptional agility, balance, and acceleration.

Oliver, like Sanders has such a low center of gravity (probably because he’s six years old) allowing him to make rapid cuts and change directions on a dime. He uses unbelievably quick jukes (or as he calls it “a Boop” to evade tacklers, making defenders miss with ease. “The BOOP” as it’s been called (he literally couldn’t say the word “Juke” and started calling it a BOOP) has absolutely left multiple broken ankles on fields across the shoreline this summer. His ability to stop and start abruptly, combined with his burst of speed, have made him one of the most elusive runners in K-1 Flag Football history.

All joking aside, while I’m sure the other coaches can agree he can use a bit more work on his listening skills… his love for his coaches, teammates and the game itself is growing by the day and the fun his dad is having coaching him is too!