Summer has a way of changing the rhythm of family life. The alarm clocks disappear. Bedtimes get pushed back. Kids sleep in. The schedule becomes a little less predictable, and every day seems to have the potential to turn into something different.
At the same time, summer can become a whirlwind of trying to keep kids active and off their screens. Scott and I—and Nana—take each day as it comes. Who's driving where? How do we get everyone where they need to be? How do we fit in work while traveling to the next tournament, horse show, or event? Some days that means working from horse barns, hotel lobbies, coffee shops, or the front seat of the car.
Milo is working his first summer job with a construction company four mornings a week. On top of that, he's skating several days a week and still competing in golf tournaments on Wednesdays. Liesel spends at least two days each week at her barn in Greeley and has traveled to Loveland, Wyoming, and Las Vegas for horse shows this summer. Maddox practices baseball multiple times each week and spends nearly every weekend playing in tournaments.
From the outside, people might ask if our family is overscheduled. Honestly, we might be. But I don't think any of us would give these activities up.
I've probably said it a hundred times: we're not just raising athletes, hockey players, golfers, baseball players, or equestrians. We're raising human beings. These activities have become classrooms for lessons that can't always be taught at home.
Milo has learned that being on the right team matters more than being on the best team. He's learned that the people you surround yourself with will shape your experience far more than the scoreboard ever will. In the end, it's about relationships.
Liesel has learned that life isn't always fair. A judge's opinion is exactly that—an opinion. Sometimes you leave with the ribbon you hoped for, and sometimes you don't. She has learned that she can complain, or she can congratulate the winner, go back to work, and come back better the next time.
Maddox has discovered that relationships matter everywhere. He's learned that respecting the umpire, having genuine conversations, and building rapport doesn't guarantee a favorable call—but treating people well always has value. Whether it's baseball, business, or life, people remember how you make them feel.
So often, we focus on the measurable outcomes: the batting average, the score, the ribbon, the tournament finish. But those aren't the things I hope my kids remember. I hope they remember what it felt like to be part of something bigger than themselves. To understand that showing up matters. That hard work compounds. That teammates become lifelong friends. That resilience is built one disappointment at a time. That success is almost never the result of one person's effort, but of many people working toward a common goal.
Maybe that's why youth activities have always been so important to us. They're about so much more than sports. And selfishly, I have to admit something. If our evenings and weekends weren't spent at baseball fields, golf courses, horse barns, and ice rinks, I'm not sure what I'd rather be doing.
One day these schedules will slow down. The practices will end. The tournaments will become memories. Until then, I'll gladly take another folding chair on the sideline.
