Competitive parents

My daughter joined her first T-ball team recently, launching me headfirst into the world of competitive parents.

More specifically, I found myself on the field with what I call the “Diamond Daddies.” These dads show up on Saturday with their preschool-age children and old baseball mitts that I’m sure they dug out of storage to relive their glory days.

“Charge it, P-Dog. Charge it!” one dad yells to his son Peter, who is desperately trying to field the hit that stopped two inches in front of home plate. I later overhear this same father saying, “Yes, they wouldn’t let Peter on a real league this season. It’s a shame. He’s amazing.”

Amazing? Really? Are you talking about the same P-Dog that I just saw pick his nose for 20 minutes in left field? This is also the boy that wrestled a ball out of my daughter’s hands because his father was screaming, “Be aggressive” in the background.

But P-Dog and his proud papa are not alone. Another dad barks at his son to get “baseball ready” while another coaches his son to watch how the batter shifts his weight to determine where the ball will go.

Seriously? It’s T-ball. If the batter is shifting his weight it’s probably because he has a wedgie. Let the kids hit the ball off the tee, run around the bases and score a home run off a bunt. It’s the American way.

How do you handle ultra-competitive parents — or are you one? Where is the line between encouraging your kids and pushing them to always win?

Erin Stewart is a regular blogger for Deseret News. From stretch marks to the latest news for moms, Stewart discusses it all while her 4-year-old daughter crams Mr. Potato Head pieces in her little sister’s nose.