Team Mom for hire....

I have a part time job. I do not get paid. It is seasonal work- but still it seems to go year-round. I am a team mom. I have performed my duties for numerous baseball teams, soccer teams and basketball teams over the past 5 years of my boys early sport careers. And even when I have squashed the urge to raise my hand and volunteer at the opening season team meeting- somehow, someway I find myself volunteering for a variety of tasks. Don’t get me wrong- I actually enjoy all this. But I never realized it until this Little League season. Until now I thought I hated it. I complained. I whined. But now I understand why I just can’t seem to stay away…. You see, I had plans this season to be the slacker mom. The mom who just shows up looking fabulous, cheers her little guy on to victory, takes a few pics and then whisks the little slugger out to lunch after the game. I was NOT going to organize the boys in the dugout, I was not going to photograph numerous games with the fervor of Major League paparazzi, I wasnot going to help warm them up before they hit, I was not going to worry who forgot their bat and who was late to practice and I most certainly was not going to start cheers from the dugout for the boy up at bat. This season I wasn’t even going to learn their names! No way- that was a commitment…and I was not going to get attached. I knew, as in all seasons before this- in 3-4 months we all would go our separate ways…so I wasn’t gonna get all involved this time. No.No.No……I thought I was pretty firm in this decision and yet…. Within 2 practices I had already volunteered to help our official Team mom since this was her first season in the position, and well I took pity-I know how much work it is. I remember kicking myself for opening my ‘big mouth’ on the car ride home. But secretly- inside I was excited; A whole new team of adorable little boys learning to play an all American pastime. So wholesome-so old fashioned and so fun for them-I knew I wanted to be a part of that experience. After the second game I was in the dugout reading the roster, lining up batting helmets and making sure they all drank their water on hot days. I applied band-aides to boo boos and resisted hugging each and everyone when they got tagged out. I came early to practices and games to pick up trash on the field. I ran other parents little guys to the potty on more than one occasion. So despite my intentions I had become totally and completely-INVOLVED. But today as I watched from the bleachers during one of our last games of the season….not actually handling much since the official team Mom was doing a really great job without me, I realized I didn’t want to be slacker mom. I guess I never did. I want to be gung-ho mom. I wanted to be team spirit mom. I wanted to be right in the middle of all of it……I want to soak it all up. I want it all.... The baseball season ends next week. But football starts in August. And this time I am raising my hand first to get my part time job back. I might be insane but I actually WANT to be team mom.