By: Cynthia Litman
Pearl of the Day: Scoring Honor
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| Brandi & Kelly |
Parents shuffle children to and from the soccer field and then watch
from the sidelines. As our little ones tear up the turf we spot the stains they are amassing on their uniforms and the game
they’ll have to wear them to next week. There are the visible stains and the more subtle ones that can happen on the field. Will their game loss taint their morale or pump
them up to train harder for the re-match, were they fouled or benched...
Whether on the field or off the field, on a team or going at
it alone, when it comes to game time, our children are building memories and learning teamwork while sorting the parameters of their position on the field. This makes me think of the pearl "how your kids play on
the field, is a great purview of how your kids will play in life." If you want to be the best, learn from the best and play
with the best.
As parents we hope for
the best and sit on the sidelines hoping for positive role models to be our stand in coaches. My daughter and I had a once in a lifetime opportunity to hit the soccer
field at Chelsea Piers with Kelly Ripa and World Cup Championship Soccer Star Brandi Chastain, best known for
scoring the winning goal against China and taking off her shirt off in celebration and has since authored “It’s Not About The Bra”.
Watching my daughter out on the field (I
would have taken my son if he wasn’t out of school 3 days the prior week!) with Brandi, a mom to a 23 year old and 6 year old, and who is magnetic, positive and inspiring and such a natural on the turf, was nothing short of amazing.
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| Getting some props from Brandi |
My daughter was psyched to see Kelly
Ripa again (re-read Tea For Two) and needed some encouragement to hit the astro turf. This was a best moment in the making and she was about to kick it with a real life champion! A woman who
pursued and lived her dream and became the very best at what she does. Now, that's a championship title role model!
While shy, my daughter came home and couldn't wait to share what she learned with her big brother, how to bounce a ball on her knee and dribble it between her own legs. She asked to sign up for soccer with her friends and we are on the hunt for cleats.
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| On the ball |
Electrolux sponsored the event and is raising awareness for
the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund with it’s “best moments” campaign. For each Best Moment shared via www.Facebook.com/Electrolux , Electrolux will
donate $1 toward OVRF and you’ll be entered to win an Electrolux Perfect Steam™
washer and dryer[1].
Each moment with my children are among my personal
best game changers. This day, like last year's tea party ranked high on my list. Electrolux is seeking moments where your
child had to overcome an obstacle or accomplish a goal.
I flashed back upon my son who at 6 months old was trying so hard to sit up, seems so simple now, but not at 6 months old. It was a big deal. We’d watch him push himself up and tumble right on over. He kept at it, with sheer determination. And then finally, it happened. He did it! He sat up, by himself! Unsure if he'd tumble again, he realized he got it and waved his hands like “YES!”, he was ecstatic. I was one proud momma.
That was truly the first time I witnessed the importance of our
children having and accomplishing their goals and being their own best stain remover. I have since seen him overcome his fears to get up on a horse, on his bike (with training wheels) and tackle math.
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| Laundry relay. |
Thinking of my own best moments, so many occurred on the field - having a high jump, jump off in elementary school, my high school volleyball team going all the way to the semi-finals, spring training for softball, earning "Baracuda" swimmer status in camp - with each new skill learned, practiced and perfected I upped my game. My field work carried over to all aspects of my life - college, law school, career and now onto the parenting field where each small victory at each development stage feels like winning a medal in a world cup championship.
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| Kelly is a total soccer mom. |
There were definitely some downers and missed opportunities that serve as markers for me now and which oddly enough, I wouldn't want to erase. My dad always coached me with the pearl "Your not going to win them all, Cyn, but go out there and give it your all."
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| My girl asking if the dryer makes holes. |
When back home, gathering your kids well worn sports clothes for the laundry and you see their stains, you hope they were well earned.
As I’m at war with my current dryer, I
thought I had a legion of moths living in my house only to discover my
dryer
was tearing up our clothes, I do not own an Electrolux washer/dry but
damn, I’d
love the Perfect Steam Wash. They are eco-friendly, beautiful and Kelly says "I'm always doing laundry and these machines does a load - wash and dry - within 30 minutes", to
which Brandi says “our time is precious and that fact alone gives
you time to do other things and more family time”. Or more time for the field.
Game on!
Disclosure: I did not receive monetary compensation for this post, however, Electrolux is always very generous and I am very grateful for the invitation, round trip
transportation to the event (by one of the most interesting people ever - a Vietnam veteran), the adorable soccer jersey and autographed soccer ball from Brandi!
Related Mommas Pearls Content: OCRF's Audra Moran on the Mommas Pearls Radio Show "Tea For Two".
[1] NO PURCHASE OR
DONATION NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Sweepstakes ends
6/26/12. Full rules available at facebook.com/Electrolux.