Hi Mom!!

August 20, 2009

It is often a discussion amongst sports dads as to why an athlete gets on camera during the middle of a game and chooses to shout, "Hi Mom!" It's not that these men do not think the athletes love their mom, they just feel that if they help their son get to practice, work on their skills, and then root them on at the game, that the occasional "Hi Dad!" would come into play.

Before I go on, yes, I do realize that this is more old school as today's sport athlete is more apt to shout hello to their homies or to their girl than they are to their moms.

Anyway, I realized last night what some of the "Hi Mom!" is all about. When CJ goes to bed, usually one of us takes him. When mom takes him, he will usually score a back scratch or something soothing. When I take him, it usually turns into me squishing him with a pillow, giving him a bear hug, or the two of us goofing around until he laughs so much he gets the hiccups. The hiccups usually get me in trouble with mom as that turns into a drink of water and then another round of taking him to bed. He typically falls asleep fine either way as soothing or laughter are both good things to have right before bed.

However, when something is bothering CJ, the rowdy approach does not work. Last night, he came back upstairs and had a discussion with mom about some of the things that are bothering him about the new school year. It took a while and Beth was very sweet to him. By the end, his mind was more at ease, and going to bed was much more peaceful.

There are things that CJ and I discuss calmly and like young adult to old adult, but there are some things that only a mom can fix. Whether you are an athlete, a doctor, a retail manager, or any profession, when you reach a certain level of success, the first normal thought should always be to thank your mother.

"HI MOM!"