The Games We Play

It's been an exciting week.  It started on Saturday morning.  Jack had his first basketball game and then Sal had a game.  QUITE a trip to watch 8 year old "typical" boys play and then turn and watch a Special Needs game.  We should ALL play more like Special Needs. 

On Saturday, I saw "typical" children ARGUE with refs (I remind you they're 8!!) At Sal's game they THANK the ref for the call. (it is really cute)  I reminded Jack that I had NO shame and would most definitely drag his butt off a court in front of God and everyone if he so much as rolled an eyeball at a ref.  :-) 

I saw parents SCREAM at "typical" children to do this and do that and "not take that from him".  At Sal's game we cheer for BOTH teams because there's nothing better than the smile of a Special Needs child who has made a basket.  Let me remind you that MOST of the Special Needs team has some sort of limp or frozen arm or a sensory to noise.  So just running is a big deal - heck - if you can dribble - you're pretty much the star of the game.  :-)

I saw coaches and parents of the "typical" kids act SO seriously about the game that you would have sworn some one's life depended on it.  At Sal's game she asked in the car (after the game) "I win?" 
No, I said - you didn't.  "Oh, we go to Culver's for lunch?"  was the reply.  LOVE that.  :-)

Now, you tell me - who is more "handicapped".  Seems to me we do a disservice to "typical" kids.  We put the emphasis on the WRONG things.  Games should be a hobby - a pleasure - not LIFE.  Games are a way to spend an afternoon.  A way to prove to yourself that practice can make you good at something.  It shouldn't be a WAY of life.  So how do we change things?  How do we make it so basketball players earn LESS than our teachers.  That our kids DREAM to be policemen and not football players that fight dogs.  I guess it begins at home.  And poor Jack, he gets to hear his Mom go on and on in lectures about such things.  :-)