Younger Siblings as Supporters

As we prepare to go to another wrestling meet today (leaving at a much more civil time, might I add, 9.15am), I'm encouraged by this comment from Joan on a post from last year:

This is our youngest son, helping with recording the video of
his brother's match.

 I wouldn't worry about the younger ones getting dragged to older brother's sports . . . I had two older brothers and always got dragged to their baseball games, and track and cross-country meets, and never felt less loved because of it. Bored plenty of times but not less loved! I think it helps show kids that family is important, and they're a family who roots for each other and rejoices together and encourages each other.

We were surprised last week when our middle son, in the exhausting aftermath of last Saturday's wrestling meet sighed contentedly and said, "Ah, finally a normal wrestling meet."

We hadn't realised that he'd been missing the familiarity of the format of the wrestling meets we went to over the last two years. Those meets were all early starts and mid-to-late afternoon returns. We certainly weren't expecting such a positive response as that to last Saturday's marathon. So, I'm encouraged. 

We don't have little boys anymore (8 & 11), but I do sometimes wonder about dragging them around to their brother's sporting events. I do remind them that I'm looking forward to going to their sporting events, when they get into middle and high school. That usually brings a smile to their faces. There's no doubt about it: we're a sporting family!