Team Sports: Apparently, they're out.

Preston had his very first teeball practice last night. Putting it nicely, it did NOT go well. First, he wouldn't participate, so Albert called me over to talk to him. When I tried, he ran away from me. Bad move, so I put him in time out, off to the side where he wouldn't interfere with the other kids playing. Of course, long story short, this turned into a screaming fit. He was acting completely out of character; not listening, running from time out, screaming and throwing himself on the floor. All in front of brand new parents. My child is usually the good one. I'm not used to this behavior. It's embarrassing, so very embarrassing.

This isn't the story, it's not funny at all, so I'll skip all the details and go to this morning. By the time we got home last night Preston was grounded for 2 days, and I was taking one of his new Transformers away from him. So this morning, on the way to school, he asked:

(abbreviated version)
P: Mom, did you take one of my Transformers this morning?

Me: No, I haven't. Yet.

P: But Mom, I don't WANT you to take one!

Me: I know, but I warned you yesterday. You were so busy screaming and throwing a fit that you wouldn't listen to ANYTHING we were telling you. If you would have listened, you would have known.

P: (silence)

Me: You acted really bad yesterday. Really, really bad. You know the rules, and you were breaking ALL of them. You know that, right?

P: Yes, I know...(lots of conversation about teams, etc.) I want to play a sport by myself.

Me: Preston, there are no sports by yourself. Baseball has a team. Football has a team. Basketball has a team. Soccer has a team. All sports have a team.

P: (matter-of-factly) Well. I'll tell you a sport that is by myself. Golf.


Well, no way to really argue that one. So instead, I made a deal; he finishes this season of baseball, playing at practices and games and without throwing a fit, and when the season is over I'll sign him up for golf. Sometimes, he has an unarguable point.