Good Game

You know you're the mom of a special soccer player when:

~ You hesitate to sign your kid up with typical kids because you're not sure he can pay attention, be accepted, or if he'll take a blow to his self-esteem.

~ You don't mention the "A" word (autism) until after several practices because you don't want him to be discriminated. When you finally do tell his (amazing) coach, he shrugs, he's already figured it out. He responds by telling you "whenever I tell him to do something he tries his hardest and says 'I'm giving it my all coach' and that's all I could ask for from any player." Did I mention his coach is great? ;)

~ You are thrilled when your child surprises you by running up and down the field with his teammates, even if he is the slowest one, because dang it, he's trying his best and he's SO HAPPY!

~ The first time he kicks the ball in the game you want to celebrate. Who cares that the ball barely moved and it went in a random direction. He kicked it!

~ You get incredibly excited when he hits a header - and meant to!

~ A player from another team knocks him (yay! He was with it enough to be knocked around!) and the coach tells him not to take that from her and Little Man responds with a big smile, "I didn't coach. I pushed her back."

~ After the game they were short handed and didn't have enough players for substitutions, when you tell him before it starts that this is it, he needs to suck it up and play hard. He is so excited to tell you that he "stuck it up! He stuck it up there far!"

~ The coach cheers him every time he goes after the ball, kicks it, or is really in there. (Yes, he has an awesome coach.)

~ Hearing his teammates yell "Nice one Little Man" "WTG Little Man" puts a smile on your face that can't be removed.

~ On the night that everything finally connects - he's with it, he's kicking it, he's playing defense, he takes a couple headers, the coach is cheering for him, his teammates are yelling his name, other parents are encouraging him - you fight to keep the tears in your eyes from being seen.

~ And most of all, you come to the end of the season and you realize HE DID IT! HE LOVED IT! HE HAD THE TIME OF HIS LIFE! His teammates accepted him for who he is, his self-esteem has climbed about a hundred notches and you wouldn't have traded any of it for the world.

Little Man, you're a rockstar!