What Would You Do??? Baseball vs Beach

Is he a baseball kid and do you think he would WANT to try out? Can they head to the beach after tryouts?

My daughter was a softball player for 11 years.....we miss those competitive weekends. Great times :) We always managed to have great vacations in addition.

Beach, beach, beach!!!! But since I have no plans to devote every weekend of my life to kid's organized sports, I have no plans to sign my son up for anything like this. Summer is for play.

It is also extremely inconsiderate of the coach to expect families to drop holiday weekend plans at a moment's notice. NOT a league I would want to be involved with.

I would give my kids the option.

But why are they doing it on Memorial Day? That makes NO sense to me at all. Are there make-up days?

I'd also let them know this trip was already planned and you can't cancel it, see if they will make an exception for you guys.

I would give your son the option. If all stars near you is like it is near me - it is a family committment. It is a huge undertaking, cost, time, etc. I'm not the least bit surprised they are doing it on a holiday weekend to see who is actually willing to make that kind of committment.

If I were in your position, I would be having my kid try out for all stars. My kid loves baseball and really has the heart, drive, and committment for it (unfortunately for him the skill set is still lacking). I would do everything in my power (despite my uninterest in being a slave to the team for the entire summer) to make those try outs for my son.

Why can't you do both? Monday is a day off. Just leave for the beach after try-outs.

All-Star tryouts are kind of an honor if your son is a pretty good b-ball player. Of course it's important to your husband - he's a daddy and a guy. It's his son and he is probably really excited about the idea of seeing his son do this. It's also a good thing for your son - the whole experience of trying out at this type of level is a learning experience for him.

Do both, Mama. Sunday can be for the beach. There is also all summer long to enjoy the beach as well.

Dawn

Try outs on the Memorial weekend?
Yeah, that was well thought out - NOT!
Beach!
Just do it and don't feel guilty about it.
Lack of planning on the coaches part does not make an emergency on your part.
Honestly, if THAT is his planning style, you'll be having problems with this guy all season.

I would ask my son which he would rather do, go to the beach with grandma and grandpa or try out for baseball.

You say the try out would be for 1-2 hours, but he'd miss a whole weekend with the grandparents. And if he doesn't try out, he'd miss a whole "season" of baseball.

Ultimately, it's up to you. I know how great it can be to have that time alone. Is it possible that they can wait to leave until Saturday after the tryouts? They would still have part of Saturday, Sunday and part of Monday. (Assuming it's a few hour drive.)

Exactly what you did because....
* you already had plans set for the weekend, and this came up after the plans (with other people, no less) were established. I wouldn't want to teach my child that it's ok to break plans just because a potentially better offer came along
* this was only a potentially better offer, as it is try-outs. What if he stayed home from a fun trip, tried out and then didn't make the All-Star cut? That'd be a pretty mopey weekend for all involved.
* YOU are in need of a break, have a great way to get one,would have to sacrafice your own well-being and find a way to entertain you son while his siblings were away for something that isn't all that big a deal in the long run.
* family vacations and holidays trump extra curriculars in my book

Personally, I think some coach didn't plan very well if they chose try-outs over a holiday weekend and notified parents less than 72 hours in advance.

our kids always wanted to try out for all-stars. sometimes they made it, and then we had to arrange our summers around it. huge PITA but so worth it, because it meant a lot to them.
i'd send the other two and give the 8 year old the choice.
your husband can keep him out of your hair for the rest of the weekend so you still get your break.
enjoy it!
:) khairete
S.

If you son likes baseball and you are in the position to take your son to and from games, than give your son the option. He's 8, I think it's a good time to start letting him take some responsibility for what he does and the consequences for his decision.

I guess it depends on how "into" baseball your son is. My 10 yr old son plays year round and is now on the All Star team for the summer. He plays every night and has practices during the week so it is a big commitment. If your son had brought it up, I'd say take him! If he didn't know anything about it, don't worry about it. Maybe next year he'll express interest and you can plan ahead. Ask him this summer if he'd be interested in playing next summer, that way you'll have an idea. It needs to be something HE wants to do, otherwise you'll push him away from it...we did that with swimming and now my son won't swim competitively any more! :-(

You should give your son the option to decide for himself. At least let him now about the tryouts so he can voice his opinion of whether he would like to stay for tryouts or go to the beach.

My husband was a baseball player, he started at a young age, and almost went pro (suffered injury), and he would have been devastated to have missed tryouts ESPECIALLY for All Stars.

Baseball could become a long term commitment for your son! Future A Rod?

Let him be a part of the decision!

Why not ask your son what HE wants to do? Or at least get his input. If you just found out last night, I can assure you your son isn't the only one going to miss the try outs.
Personally, the beach would win out for our kids.

If your son is into baseball - then I would do the baseball try outs. I get that you need a break. I get it. but unless there's a make up session for try outs your son will miss ALL-STARs they don't just put ANY kids on a team.

Your son is 8 - he can make decisions....I don't know how far away the beach is - but I would tell him it's All Star try outs...then tell him (if the beach is too far) it's All-Stars or the beach and let him make the decision....

I would agree that if you son is really into baseball, this may be something he would want to do.

As the mom of a softball player, who is much older, if they are really committed, they start that young. As part of a club or premier team, she played many times in tournaments that were over holidays. We were thrilled that she had a passion and took her commitment seriously. Shoot, my husband and I paid to attend our school's gala one year then found out we had a softball tournament. After spending the entire day at the fields and driving over and hour to get home, we slid into the auction, windblown, sunburnt and still in our sweats, just in time for the live auction!

Our school hosts a varsity soccer tournament every year that ends on the Saturday of Labor Day in the fall.

My point is that as the kids get older, you may have to make some difficult decisions. I'm NOT saying that the kids call the shots, but if a commitment is made it's honored.

Are the All Star different than his regular baseball team ( around here they are) ? If so then I say let him go to the beach and just play the season with his team.

My son told me last night that they have their first tournament on Saturday. I told him that unless his dad is taking him ( its his weekend) then he wasn't going and its a good thing that its not my weekend because there is no way he would go. We have had plans for a month and our campsite booked and paid for 3 weeks ago.

Personally I think its crazy that they schedule anything on a holiday weekend when people normally have plans and I think it wrong to make someone choose between their family plans ( even if its relaxing at home) and a child's sport.

I doubt I will ever sign my kids up for organized sports like baseball. My nephew plays, and every weekend their life is ruled by baseball. Practice season started in December! Unless the kid absolutely loves it, I say let him go have a fun weekend.

But ultimately, you need to ask your son. It's his life, and his choice.

When do they leave for the beach? Saturday morning? Could they have delayed leaving? Call the coach and explain that plans had already been made and is there a different time for try outs or a different day?

Also, can they leave ahead and you take your son down after tryouts?

I would give my son the option or see if the beach trip could be adjusted to accomodate, so he could do both. If he comes back and finds out from his friends that you kept it from him, he might be mad at y ou and feel a breach of trust on your part.

Totally a healthy parenting decision. Either way. You two know best, weighed the options and decided on the beach.

Excellent decision!

I don't know, because I don't know your son, or how much baseball means to him. Is he a baseball junkie? Would he make the team, most likely? Will it devastate him NOT to be on the all star team this year? Was he on it last year?

I would probably choose the beach though!

If he loves ball and would possibly make the team I would give him the option. It is his choice. When he came home and found out his friends all made the team and he can't be on it then he may be devastated.

I do think I would make some phone calls too. It is rather silly to have something so important going on during a National Holiday weekend. They need to schedule some times during the days before or the days after.

I would have asked my child which he would prefer to do.

It's not too late to give your son a choice. I dont know how this works, but how do you think your on will feel if he finds out he had this opportunity and you didn't tell him about it? All Stars sounds like something not every kid has a chance to do so he mut be good. I'm sure your in-laws would understand if he wanted to try out rather than go to the beach.

Is there anyway he can tryout and then head to the beach? I'm shocked they would even have it on a holiday weekend.

I would have told my son about it, and let him choose. At 8, he's old enough to have an opinion.

Since you just found out about, I would explain to the coach you will be away. Surely there are others like you!
Now if it was scheduled for a while...I guess I would ask my son (if he was really into it) and let him decide, and if he wanted to try-out I would let him and then drive him down the shore (if it was at most 3-4 hours away).