The sun is finally out here in Silicon Valley! This week marks the start of Little League and spring soccer league practice. I've reloaded my car with my beach chair, cooler full of water and Gatorade, People magazine and baseball hat. I am ready to get back to cheering on the kids and catching up on the gossip about home remodels with the other parents.
Last week, the New York Times' Gina Kolata wrote an article about the increase of kids who have sports injuries at a young age. In many ways, kids have been having injuries like, "trick knees" since the dawn of time or invention of soccer, but what has changed is our ability to diagnose injuries quickly and accurately. The number of kids with torn ACLs is increasing at an alarming rate. More over, what has changed is nature of youth sports. It is more competitive and kids who show skill are often pushed harder than necessary. Umm...maybe we should stop sending scouts to high school/junior high school football games. Duh!
While this is not news to many of us, we all think that that would never happen to my child. As I pack my cooler in preparation of another afternoon of practice, I wondered if I will become one of those parents who push too hard. How often have I said to my son after he has fallen on the soccer field to "Shake it off, sweetie. You are fine." ? We are lucky to live in an era where we can diagnose an injury and find treatment. I just wish we also lived in an era where kids play for the fun of it and don't need worry about tearing their ACL in the first place.
Yikes, another thing to add to the mom worry list!
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