There are so many things about being a mom that no one tells you when you decide to start a family. I thought that being a teacher before having my own kids gave me a leg up on knowing what to expect. And let me tell you; I had no idea!
Sure, I knew how to handle behaviors, comfort ouchies, teach them, and help them feel confident. But I had no idea what went on behind the scenes at home until I had littles of my own.
Sports is one of those areas where I was completely clueless. Growing up, I did 20-25 hours of gymnastics a week from grade school through high school and then I added 10 hours of track into that for my high school years. My mom did all of the drop offs, pick ups, dinner making, laundry washing, home logistics, etc. As a child, I never thought about all that she did to get me and my 2 siblings to everything. But, MAN am I feeling it now as a mom of 4! (Thank you, Mom!)
I’m just going to say this for whoever needs to hear it; Moms are Super Heroes! They keep their families running and houses from imploding. So, give yourself a pat on the back, Mom. You Are AMAZING!
And because you are so amazing, I know that you are owning your Sports Mom Era right now. But I want to share some of our favorite finds and tips to make your life just a little bit easier.
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The Gear
This thing has been a game changer for us! Sports require water bottles and I bet you have no shortage of bottles in your house. Keep them organized so you never hear, “Mom, where is my water bottle?” again!
Looking for some bottles to fill up that organizer? These are our favorite tried and true water bottles. We have 3 sizes: 12oz, 18oz, and 32oz and love all of them!
These bottles were not expensive, top of the line bottles, but they work perfectly for us! We use these as Gatorade, or sports drink bottles during all sporting events.
There are a lot of great sports bags on the market. I truly love these! We’ve had them for 2 years and I have no complaints. They are perfect to store all of the gear and have a few pockets/sections inside and out for various items. Each kid has his own color and I am not in charge of carrying anyone’s stuff! And don’t let the soccer ball fool you, these bags are great for tons of different sports and activities! We currently use ours for soccer, track, and I have one to use as a family sports bag when we don’t need individual bags.
We love this brand of soccer ball and have been buying them for years! Each boy has their own and when I was coaching 2 of my kiddo’s soccer teams, I bought a whole bunch for practice!
We live in a location that gets really hot during the spring and summer months. That can make it feel extra unbearable when you are sitting on reflective bleachers or camped out in the blazing sun on the sidelines. A personal fan is a great way to cool down a bit when you don’t have a bucket of water you can dunk your head in!
Cooling towels are another great way to cool down when you are cheering your little on. They are also amazing to give to your star athlete when they are taking a breather from the game. We don’t need anyone passing out on the field!
I love, Love, LOVE these containers! We have had them for a couple years now, and I still have no need to replace any of them! These 3 separate containers twist on and off of each other. Each has its own cap, so you can bring one, two, or all 3 with you! I have my kiddos fill these up with snacks and then stash the stack in their sports bags during our crazy game Saturdays.
This little wagon packs a big punch on game days for our family. Not only can it transport my 4-year-old when his legs no longer work (anyone else?!) But we can also stash all of our sports bags, water bottles, snacks, and the blanket. Even better? The side unzips down to create a bench! Perfect for my littles to chill in while they watch brother play!
We are the weirdos who stand during soccer games (assuming we won’t be there all morning or afternoon). So, this waterproof blanket comes in really handy when I want to sit for a minute or when my 4-year-old decides that laying in the wet grass is a good idea.
I use this baby to keep all of our sporting essentials in one place when we are moving from activity to activity. It also does the heavy lifting when it comes to keeping the shopping bags from rolling everywhere!
This thing is a lifesaver during busy seasons of life! When I’m running from sporting event to sporting event, the last thing I want to do is come home and make dinner. With the instant pot, all I have to do is throw the ingredients in and let it do the work for me! I make everything from rice to pulled pork to mongolian beef to soup and everything inbetween! You need one of these!
When my oldest was in Kindergarten, we made the switch to a reusable lunch box. Bentgo was the brand that we chose and we have been with them ever since! We have tried 4 different variations of their boxes and love them all! These boxes are especially nice on long game days when we will be out of the house over lunch. I can pack them ahead of time and the kids are good to go!
I like that these divided snack containers are made from stainless steel and stack neatly in the fridge. You can fill them the night before and be all set on game day!
Tips and Tricks
Being a Sports Mom is not for the faint of heart. It is basically a full time job if you have multiple kids or one child is really into a sport (or 3!). Here are some of the best tips from a mom of 4 who coaches one sport and doesn’t have anyone to help with the shuttling and home logistics besides her husband:
- Prep as much as you can the night before
- I cannot stress this enough and I would shout it from the mountaintops if I ever climbed one! Prep the night before!!! I call this giving my future-self a high-five. I mean, have you ever woken up and cursed the fact that you packed lunches or did the dishes the night before? I doubt it! Getting it done ahead of time is always a good idea. Pack the snacks, fill the water and sports bottles, lay out the uniform, lay out your outfit, put the wagon, chairs, bags, etc. in the car. Just get it done! If you don’t, you’ll be kicking yourself in the morning and you are bound to forget something!
- Make a morning list
- Chances are that you weren’t able to get everything ready the night before. Maybe the uniform is in the dryer, the ice packs need to be pulled from the freezer, or the snack cups were in the dishwasher. Whatever you didn’t get done the night before, write it down! Mornings before sports tend to be busy in our house, and if I didn’t write it down, it’s not getting done!
- Make laundry day be the day after games/practices so you know the uniform is always clean!
- With 6 people in the house, it is very easy to lose track of who needs laundry done by which day. The best way to combat this is to do laundry the day after the sport takes place! For us that means that we do one kiddo’s laundry on Tuesday, one Wednesday, one Thursday, and the other whenever it needs to be done. Having assigned days for laundry helps me get into a laundry rhythm, but it also helps my kiddos be prepared to put laundry away after school (they do their own!) and remind me if the day got away from me.
- Let the little things go
- When you are running all over the place taking one kid here and another there, things don’t always go to plan. Maybe your spouse made dinner, but it wasn’t what you had planned. Or you wanted the toddler to have a bath, but you weren’t home to do it. When you have been the one running the household and directing all child activities, it can be really hard to release some of that control. So, when I feel myself getting frustrated about something I ask myself, ‘is this a big deal? Is it going to matter tomorrow?’ Most of the time, the answer is no. So, let the little things go.
- Don’t forget about you!
- It’s easy to lose sight of yourself during the crazy season that is sports. But remember, nothing will happen without you! So, get enough sleep, eat regular meals (your kids’ leftover don’t count!), move your body, and don’t forget water, sunscreen, and a snack for yourself at games and practices!
- Game days can take a lot out of you
- I can’t be the only one who is completely wiped out after a day of games. It takes a lot of time, effort, and energy to make sure your family has what they need on game day. Remember that it’s ok to slow down when you get home. Plan an easy dinner and maybe a family movie night. Soak in those relaxed moments and recharge!
- Remember, this is just a season of life
- It’s really easy to feel overwhelmed by kids’ sports. Managing the schedules, meals, laundry, picks ups and drop offs, and still getting schoolwork done is a lot! But remember, this is just a busy season of life, and it won’t last forever. One day, those kiddos will be able to drive themselves to practice and, eventually, they will be out of the house. So, while it seems like a lot right now, enjoy this time. It goes by too quickly!
Soak it all in!
The Sports Mom Era is a beautiful thing. Watching your kiddos gain confidence, strength, perseverance, and build friendships is truly a gift. But it’s also hard. So, give yourself the credit that you deserve and the grace that you need. Here’s to you in your Sports Mom Era! You Got This Mama!