That Kind of Parent

Grandma Betty (Triton's great grandma) had given me a gift certificate to Sports Authority for Christmas. She had also given me some golf balls as well, so I didn't know what to spend the money on. I searched on their website for junior golf clubs, but wasn't able to find any.
Saturday we decided to drive over to Sports Authority just to double check. If they didn't have junior clubs, then maybe they would have a miniature basketball hoop and stand. I was pleased to see they did indeed have junior clubs and sets. The sets were a little more than I wanted to spend and a bit more than the gift certificate as well. This Nike putter was the first club I looked at. Triton has a couple of homemade clubs at home for the summertime, however he usually carried around one my old full size clubs when we were outside in the yard. Maybe he doesn't like the duct tape on the homemade clubs? I had been wanting to get him a small putter though, since putting in a hole will most likely be the first thing he enjoys practicing. Of course we have no holes in the floor at home, but you can see he is still trying.
I am not expecting him to be the next Tiger Woods and I am not going to be one of those parents who force anything on their children. I am going to encourage him to be active and take part in sports and athletics, but I will not discourage him from any other extracurricular activities. If he wants to play the trumpet and learn to tap dance then so be it. His life is going to be his. I am not going to be one of those parents to lives vicariously through their children. Maybe when he bowls his first 300 I will, but only then. That is another thing, if he doesn't ever want to bowl that will be fine by me. I imagine that he will want to do the things that his dad does, but if there is a day that he changes his mind and says he doesn't want to bowl anymore, that will be okay with me too. He is not my son as an object, he is my son as a blessing. He is my son who I am going to learn from. He will teach me more than I will ever be able to teach him. One thing that I would really love to teach him is that it is okay to lose. I hate to lose, I am a graceful winner, but the sorest of losers. That is the one thing as far as competition that I will push on him. It is okay to be a gracious loser, it is okay to not win. As long as he wanted to participate and tried his best then the outcome doesn't matter. What more can you do, when put forth your best effort and still lost? Nothing.