Team Player

No one was more surprised than I when Parker announced he was playing football this year.  Of course I didn't want him to.  Of course I had visions of broken collarbones and twisted knees and of his beautiful boy face getting bruised and scarred.  But I took a breath and let it be his decision.
And his Dad beamed and clapped him on the back and told everyone we met that his son was playing football.
Parker came home from the first day of Football camp, heavy gear slung over his shoulder, and seemed pumped.  He showed us the footwork he'd learned and told us he had been put with the quarterbacks to practice.  But a little later, he asked me for headache medicine.
The second day, he was a little more subdued, but still had a smile on.  And asked for more headache med.
Later that night, as I cut his hair, he said, "Mom, that football helmet gives me a headache."  And my internal MommaAlert began to ding.  As we talked, I realized that he was trying to tell me he wanted to quit.  As much as I wanted to say "Thank goodness...I never wanted you to play anyway", I hedged and encouraged and let him think out loud.  Then I told him he should talk to his Dad about this.
That night, The Journal appeared on Hubby's pillow.  In his scrawling, dyslexic handwriting, Parker told his Dad he had made his decision.  He had wanted to try football...and he did.  But he knew now it wasn't for him.  He admitted that he had wanted to make his Dad and his Coach happy.  He listed his reasons, and even wrote out what he would say to Coach when he turned in his stuff.
And to my Husband's credit, he replied,
"Parker,  Thank you for telling me all that.  I love you and am proud of you no matter what you do.  I am as proud of you playing trumpet as I am of you playing football.  I had my high school experience, and now you have to have yours.  Love, Dad"
The next morning, Dad took Parker to the school and stood back watching while Parker went out and talked to Coach.  Then they came home and worked together on manly stuff...changing out brakes and headlights on our cars...getting their hands black and dirty and working in harmony.  And watching them get along, I knew everything was ok.  Because no matter what Parker plays, he knows his Dad is on his team.
So he can't lose.