Soccer!

Soccer season has begun.  My 5 year old had her first practice and first game of the soccer season this week.  This is her second year playing, but she's still in the same age group, U6.  I've posted before about introducing science to girls since science still tends to be a male-dominated field.  Teaching kids, especially girls, science early in their childhood gives them the confidence they need to be successful later on in life.  Sports are very similar.  Studies show that girls involved in sports do better in school and have more confidence in themselves.  Granted, you can't force your daughter to play sports.  That will simply backfire.  But if she has an interest, then push her to explore that interest.

Our local soccer complex.

My daughter loves to play soccer, but this season is going to be a challenge.  Last year when she played, fall season games were played on Saturday mornings.  Spring season games where played on Thursday evenings.  These are school nights, but games are usually done by 7:15 or 7:30.  Last spring my daughter wasn't in school yet, so there wasn't a big rush to get up extra early in the morning.  This season's games are also Thursday evenings and she's now in school.  She hasn't fully adjusted to the full days at school yet and although she says she liked playing soccer yesterday I have to admit that she did very little running and quite a bit of moping around.  Toward the end of the game only 4 of our team's players were on the field (5 is a full team).  The other 4 were sitting on the sideline, including my daughter, refusing to play.  Sigh.  Hopefully as the season progresses she will adapt to school followed by soccer.

My 2 year old, on the other hand, was more than willing to participate in the game.  I think she's disappointed she can't play until after she turns 3!