Remember When Sports Were Fun?
I caught myself doing it the other day.
Watching a kid's game...and caring a little too much.
Not because it mattered.
Because somewhere along the way, I forgot what sports gave me growing up.
They gave me friends.
They gave me confidence.
They taught me how to lose without quitting and how to win without being a jerk. They taught me to trust teammates, listen to coaches, laugh at myself, and keep showing up after striking out.
Sports gave me stories I'll tell for the rest of my life.
The scoreboard?
I couldn't tell you what it said.
Sometimes we accidentally turn the thing that's supposed to build our kids into the thing that defines them.
Every game feels like a test.
Every mistake feels enormous.
Every weekend becomes a measuring stick.
But here's the beautiful thing...
A game can shape your child's character without becoming their identity.
They don't have to be the soccer player.
Or the golfer.
Or the pitcher.
They're a kid who plays sports.
That's very different.
This week, before you ask how many points they scored, what the coach said, or whether they won...
Ask one question.
"Did you have fun?"
And then actually listen.
Because if sports aren't fun now...
When are they supposed to be?
Let's raise kids who love to compete, love their teammates, and love the game—not kids who feel like they have to carry the weight of the world every time they lace up their shoes.
Cook This: Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
One of my favorite parenting tricks is hiding vegetables in plain sight.
This loaf disappears in our house before anyone remembers it started as a zucchini.
You'll Need
2 cups shredded zucchini
2 eggs
⅓ cup maple syrup
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp vanilla
1½ cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup dark chocolate chips
Make It
Mix the wet ingredients together, stir in the zucchini, fold in the dry ingredients, then add the chocolate chips. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350° for 45–55 minutes.
Slice it for breakfast. Pack it for camp. Sneak a piece after the kids go to bed.
I won't tell.
Dad Fun - Add Water
Need a little summer magic?
Just add water.
Run through the sprinkler after dinner...yes, you too.
Freeze little toys in bowls of ice and let the kids rescue them with spray bottles and warm water.
Fill a bucket with sponges and invent three games before bedtime.
Wash bikes together and accidentally start a water fight.
Eat watermelon outside with the hose running nearby. Trust me.
We just order
Dad Magic: It’s not your game, who cares?
Your kid loves a sport you couldn't care less about?
Perfect.
Learn it anyway.
Watch a match on YouTube.
Ask them to teach you the rules.
Let them explain why that move was incredible.
When your child sees you becoming interested in something simply because they love it, they feel seen.
That's Dad Magic.
One more thing...
You bring the weather with you.
Every practice.
Every tournament.
Every ride home.
Your attitude becomes the forecast your family lives in.
Bring blue skies. Remind them that rain is good for the garden.
Your kids will remember your encouragement long after they've forgotten the final score.
This newsletter is not professional in nature but intended to be real things to try. They won’t all work but this is a process and I’d love for you to join me on the way. Thanks for reading and we hope to see you next week.
Send this to a dad that needs to get his Sh&# together.
Send me a note or your best dad joke @ [email protected]