Wrestling State Championships

Skylar’s last tournament of the season was this past weekend. The Vermont Youth Wrestling State Championships. Usually the tournaments bring in about 300 kids, from age Kindergarten to 6th grade. This particular tournament brought in about 600 youth. Luckily the school had not one, but two gyms! Our gym, was sweltering hot and reeked of elementary school kid breath, and the second gym reeked of nail polish remover. I still do not know why. The cafeteria smells make me want to vomit as usual.

I found myself resorting to some old parenting methods. It felt right at the time. I don’t have time for details, but I felt I needed to keep him from ruining his day. He gets REALLY over stimulated in large crowds. I leaned toward a little more control this time, but he stayed safe, he didn’t object, and he had a great experience. I’m not feeling terribly guilty, maybe because he seemed unphased by it but, in hindsight there were a few things I could have done differently.

It’s really kind of odd, watching your kid in a controlled match (read: fight) and rooting him on. I’m torn between “be kind” and “kick his ass!” Keeping up mindful parenting at a wrestling tournament is REALLY hard.

But he loves wrestling! I mean absolutely LOVES it. He wears his t-shirt everyday, displays his medals on his wall, is making plans to build a “wrestling room” in the backyard, and has been saving his allowance to buy wrestling mats. He’s hooked.

Well, he placed 2nd at states. His first year wrestling and he places 2nd!!!