The other day I saw a father, mother and two sons on the line in front of me at Dunkin Donuts. It was obvious that they had just come from a soccer game. The two young boys were dressed in thin shorts and tee shirts, while their parents were dressed warmly in jeans and thick jackets.

The two boys never stopped shivering the entire five minutes we were in line together.

What is going on in society when we are making our kids play sports, in every kind of foul weather, including rain, snow and icy winds just for the pleasure of watching them participate in some kind of sport? It seems that we are living vicariously through our kids.

When did we start playing sports on Mother’s Day? I always remember being home with my mother and our family on mom’s special day. We would all be huddled around my mother, making sure that she enjoyed her “well deserved” day of rest. It seems that we are now so preoccupied with driving our kids from one place to another, that we have lost sight of what is really important. When did the family start playing ssecond fiddle to sports? I can still remember spending the entire summer playing with my friends, and maybe if I was lucky, going to the shore with my parents for a day.

Summer was always a time for kids to be kids and for parents to enjoy them as such. School was from September to May and summer was for kids and families to relax and get to know each other again. — Beliefnet.com