Letting Go of 'My' Sports Dream
Theme of the week: How to Raise Successful Children
Sunday, April 15, 2012
 1 of 1
Who Said It … John Fuller
John Fuller is vice president of Audio and New Media at Focus on the Family and co-host of the daily Focus on the Family broadcast. A media veteran of more than 30 years, John is the author of First-Time Dad. Married to Dena since 1984, he is the father of six children. John and Dena are advocates for orphan care and adoption.
What he Said … Letting Go of My Sports Dream
Despite my expectations, I finally had to admit my son wasn't very interested in sports. He wasn't competitive. He just didn't care about winning. He preferred mechanical challenges (like disassembling a toaster) to the thrill of stealing a base or hitting a double. Organized sports didn't fit his personality.
It's not that I gave up at the first sign of disinterest in athletics. He tried a number of sports. But eventually it became apparent that this was a wasted effort. In the end, I learned to let go of my hopes that he would excel in sports.
What was I expecting? How important to me was my son's involvement in sports? Was success in athletics significant for his success in life?
Instead of chasing the dream of a son with great athletic prowess, I concentrated my parenting energies on the things that really matter. I traded my hopes for vicarious sports stardom for a burning desire to infuse my son with the internal qualities that linger much longer than a summer league trophy.
Key Study Passages: Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Micah 6:8
Adapted from First-Time Dad (Moody, 2011) by permission. All rights reserved by the copyright holder and/or the publisher. May not be reproduced.
Copyright © 2012 by Christianity Today/Men of Integrity magazine. Click here for reprint information on Men of Integrity. 1 of 1
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Father, forgive me when my expectations for my kids reflect my own definition of success rather than yours; help me to more consistently model for my family what it means to be a sincere Christ-follower.
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