The Kids really run SOJOCO

Most of us move out here to raise kids and put them in good schools, blah, blah, blah but you know what enough is enough. One of the things that drives me crazy about this lifestyle is the stuff that goes along with it. We are losing friends to the child beasts. Look, I have a couple myself and love them very much but in my opinion it is not "all about the kids". My friends and neighbors seem to have all joined this church.

This is the church of helicopter parents (see Love and Logic for a definition www.loveandlogic.com ), and 9 soccer games on a Saturday, 6 more on Sunday, the call the teacher or principal whenever little Billy gets his feelings hurt at recess. That church. It is the group of people that go to restaurant and order everything on the side, or ask for a jillion substitutions, give crappy tips, list chain restaurants like Cheesecake Factory as their favorite place to eat. All the while, all I read and see is that organic foods are hot and getting hotter. do people buy this stuff and then take their kids to McDonald's? They must. Ever drive by a McDonald's on a Sunday morning? There are usually 15-20 cars in line and filled with kids in soccer uniforms. Listen, I'm a real church guy. You know a place to go worship God and feel connected to Him. I think we'd all be better off if we kept that day a little more for a little church in the morning and some relaxation in the afternoon. Don't get me started on a rant about how church is not God. Worship God, not church........the church industry likes to confuse the two but I digress.....

Sorry, the point here I guess is it can't be all about the kids if you make it all about the kids all the time. Are they really better off playing 10 games a weekend, going out of town for tournaments, getting on the "elite" competitive team when they are 7-8 years old? Some of my friends will say, oh they love it, they want to play that much. I say they want to do lots of things that aren't good for them and we say no. One of my kids will watch TV all day if I allow it. She doesn't because we know it isn't a good habit and isn't incredibly productive.

I'm an athlete, I love playing and watching sports. I want my kids to play but I'm scared to death about how we keep it in perspective for them? Don't get me started on what happens at these games, the parents, the coaches, etc.

By the way, what's the deal with every kid having their own TV/DVD/Video game in their room? My kid has a friend who has a cell phone. The kid is 7.