Baseball Siblings :: The Real MVPs
The game of baseball can get a bad rap sometimes. It can be slow and hot and very little excitement. To the average baseball-loving adult, watching a game is fun no matter the excitement level. But, to the average little kid, sitting in the heat, with a melted snack, and not much action happening in front of them at the given moment, a baseball game can very well feel like a slow and painful death – a sentence brought on by two of the meanest parents ever. Dragged out to the ballpark week after week to sustain the rising heat, the long concession lines, and the disengaged parents could feel like torture to any sibling of a baller. And, though they are there to “support their athletic sibling” and “eat snacks,” they
simply don’t care what’s going on during the game, only how to make this dreadful experience as entertaining as possible, and sometimes that means making a mess and spending money. When the siblings are happy, they are the true MVPs of the ballgame, allowing any baseball mama a chance to cheer her athlete on “in peace.”
Most Valuable Snacker
Siblings might fail to appreciate that they are loaded down with snacks during these ball games. There aren’t enough snacks brought from home to satisfy their sudden ballpark hunger that seems to hit at first pitch every single time. Not only do they drain the diaper bags of snacks, but they drain our wallets too. They are THE most valuable snacker. A bag of chips or peanut butter crackers will get us through a half-inning, but a nice, cold, stain-inducing snowball from the ballpark will buy us at least half a game, more if they drip some juice by an ant pile! They’ve carefully, and strategically I might add, figured out their snacking ways on their own, and though it makes us wince every time we pull out the cash, they’ve managed to convince us parents that it’s worth it for them to get what they want in the moment so Mommy can watch the game. Being the sibling of a baller has taught you strategic coping mechanisms. Well done, little snacker; well done.
Most Valuable Helper
Baseball Moms come with baggage: wagons, chairs, fans, ice chests, tents, signs, snacks, drinks, Florida water, etc. But when a baseball sibling is in tow, those hands are useful trekking to and from the distant parking lot. Oprah Winfrey unpacks the large family vehicle, “You get a chair! And, you get a chair!” If you have hands, you’re carrying SOMETHING. And because a toddler sibling never wants to be left out, they’re carrying the tiniest of necessities as the baseball family stumbles across the parking lot, sweating
already, to the long day ahead. Baseball siblings, you are more valuable than you realize in these moments!
Most Valuable Mess Maker
Let’s just say the one actually playing baseball isn’t the only one in need of a good stain-remover when we get home. Baseball siblings add value to the experience when they are occupied and having fun as well, and sometimes that comes at a messy cost. There’s dirt, there’s half-eaten concession snacks everywhere, and there’s more dirt. Though you may not care about staining or ripping the super cute baseball sibling outfit you’re donning, you are exploring and making memories. You will have no idea who even won the game, but you will remember the giant orange Cheetos you allowed the ants to carry from one point to another or the very large and inviting grassy hill you thought looked like a fun summer sledding activity. You’ve probably dropped the half-melted chocolate bar on the bleachers a dozen times and picked it back up only to wipe your sweaty face and then your shirt, but you didn’t care about the mess or stains because you were too busy making your own experience out of this. For that, you are an MVP.
Most Valuable Friend
And let’s not forget about all of the friends you make at these long hot events. Many times, you are not the only baseball sibling. There are others just like you! What better foundation on which to start a friendship, “Hey! You got dragged here against your will, too?! Let’s be best friends!” and off you go, holding hands, running off into the centerfield sunset. You might even scheme together and snag a playdate out of it right after the game. After all, we spent all day surrounding one child, as you’re quick to point out. Baseball mamas need to be fair here. Well played, little one.
Most Valuable Cheerleader
But you know, it’s not always about the snacks and the messy memories. Sometimes you can be supportive for the sibling on the field. When we’re in a tight one, you come in clutch with a loud cheer. “Mommy, are we winning?” you might ask, and though you might not have much invested in this game, you want our team to do well. You want them to do something big in that moment, so your tiny attention span is focused on this at-bat. Whether a big play happens or not, you gave it your personal best – a whopping 2 minutes of focus and support. Watching one sibling cheering on another is definitely valuable in any baseball mama’s heart.
It’s not the cleanest nor the cheapest route, but toting baseball siblings along at the ballpark can be quite the experience for all parties involved. I’m not saying you won’t ever have melt downs or tantrums, BUT they will eventually get a valuable connection whether it’s through the game of baseball or not. When baseball siblings live their best life at the ballpark, so does Mommy, and that’s what makes them the real MVPs.
