GGOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLL!

The Mud Puddle had his first official soccer lesson this past weekend. He has been batting a soccer ball around for a while now and we figured it was time for a break from the swim lessons (he graduated from Pike, and could swim on his own with a floaty) and try some organized ball kicking.

So we trudged on up to the Y and instantly he wanted to go swimming. Of course. Every other week during swim lessons he had to be coerced into going but now that we have purchased soccer lessons he is all about the swimming (never mind that he didn’t have a suit with him, semantics I guess).

Once we FINALLY got him past the pool and into the gym/basketball/soccer area it was quite clear that he was the youngest in the class. By A LOT. These kids were a foot taller than him. The Mud Puddle was pretty good with the kicking part, the concept of not using your hands was a little difficult to grasp. He would stop the ball with his hand and then put his foot up on it.

As I was watching him man-handle the ball and run around with the other, much older kids I began to worry. Am I THAT mother? The one that pushes her kid too soon to do things that given time and a little encouragement they would come to (or not) on their own? How soon is too soon to start encouraging interests?

He honestly enjoys kicking his soccer ball (Tigger and Pooh) around the house and outside when he gets the chance and he said he wanted to play soccer. But is the word of a three-year old ever enough reason to do something?

This is the same kid who named the Nutcracker “Becky” and has been telling me lately that we keep our hands on our own bodies (I am sorry, I invoke Mommy hug privileges whenever I can).
So did I take the “I want to play soccer” as gospel just because I wanted to or was it a good call on my part?
Now, I harbor no delusions that he will be the next David Beckham, but I do want to give him every opportunity to be the best Mud Puddle he can be.
The question is where is the line between Good Mommy who offers encouragement and opportunity and Bad Mommy who dresses him up in a suit, teaches him a dance and sends him on auditions?
I HOPE I am still on the Good Mommy side but I will continue to evaluate my behavior to make sure I am not a candidate for the next season of “Show Biz Moms and Dads”.