I had a couple options for favorite post this year. Since my content is mostly about general parenting and book reviews, I try to write about things that resonate both personally and with parents on a larger scale.

I found myself going back to our sports content (here and here) quite frequently because sports, and extracurriculars in general, are no longer considered extra; they are kinda mandatory if we want well-rounded kids. Not just for their future in school, but their future happiness.

I’ve been around many coaches and teachers this year through my job, and I found it surprising that they were having so much trouble with things like motivation, fitness, effort, self-discipline and competitiveness; not just on the sports field but in the classroom and at home.

Since our week on kids sports, I’ve been watching my kids more closely. Do they play as a team? Are they okay with not being MVP? How do they handle losing? Are they putting in the practice time? How do they conduct themselves during practice?

I think we can all agree that the behavior and traits they display in athletics mirror how they are in other spaces. And as my kids’ interests start expanding, they (and we as a family) will need to find the best ways we can support and teach the bigger lessons.

I also finished a new book on navigating kids sports that I’m excited to review on the blog next year.

Game on, 2025.
~Patti

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