Always enjoy and most often benefit from your Monday appearances on Teresa Tomeo. Your appearance this past Monday was especially on the mark and really hit a nerve.
Dear Dr. Meeker,
Always enjoy and most often benefit from your Monday appearances on Teresa Tomeo. Your appearance this past Monday was especially on the mark and really hit a nerve.
I haven’t been able to put it into words, but your point that parents get their children over involved in various activities because they are filling a subconscious void they have, made so much sense. I have seen it so often, including among my own siblings. It’s like parents are on automatic pilot, which further validates your point about it being a subconscious occurrence.
And your point that young people should go play their games often without their parents being there is so right on. A while back I was walking on a track next to a youth baseball field. On the field was a girls youth organized baseball game going on. The girls looked to be around seven to eight years old. In the stands were what appeared to be mothers of the girls yelling all sorts of commands to the girls on how to play the game.
“Run,throw the ball,, swing level, keep your eye on the ball, etc.” Often the commands were given in a derogatory manner.
I have just one question, was anyone in this picture having any fun? What is the point of it all? It does seem like these parents were acting on subconscious promptings, because they weren’t acting logically.
When in high school and college I umpired and kept score for youth baseball games. Parents were often brutal. They even argued with me when I kept score if they thought I made an incorrect ruling on a hit or error related to their child.
I often drive by a sports complex with youth baseball games going on. Some of these kids couldn’t be more than four or five years old. And of course the stands are mostly full.
This is crazy. I once heard the head coach of a Major Soccer League team give a talk to a group of parents. He said that putting very young children into organized soccer leagues where they have to play on a large field is nothing short of child abuse. He suggested what you were saying, just let the kids kick a ball around the yard. They will have much more fun.