Who likes Sports Day?

I hated most sports days as a child; mostly because I knew I'd come last and be laughed at and let my house down. I only started to enjoy it once I found I could throw a discus.

And now as a parent? Well I still loathe them; it's the pushy parents, the overly competitive kids and the rain. But these are not things I'd share with Rachel, no no no; I want her to enjoy sport.

And I thought it worked, she loved last years' sports day, but she was anything but keen this year.

"I will have to watch things because I'm not good enough to run them" she said.

Suddenly she's at the age when she's aware of other people's abilities; and she's not the quickest in her year - but she's also the youngest!

I muddled my way through this with comments including....
Try your best
Support your friends
Enjoy the experience
There won't be any proper lessons

My heart wasn't really in it, I was trying to convince myself as well, but it worked. She had something to focus on and she had a role to play.

Fast Forward Four Hours.

Well here's a turn up for the books; she enjoyed her sports day. She didn't come last in her races. She had wonderful hockey skills in the dribbling race, she managed to get the coat hat and scarf on for the dress up race, she was great commando style under the parachute, she galloped like a horse elegantly over the hurdle and she flew with the skipping rope.

How proud am I?!

And you know something else?
Watching her enjoy it meant I had a fun morning, despite the rain and the competitive parents.