Life
Before you become a mom, it's difficult (if not completely impossible) to determine what will help you out with motherhood, and what won't. As a mom, you'd be surprised at how many moments you can look back on and gain perspective, understanding, and skills that will up your parenting game like the champion you are. Whether it's the patience and resolve that'll get you through potty training, to the determination and mental toughness that will assist you in surviving a toddler tantrum. Your past can, and almost always does, make you stronger for your future. And for me, there's been no better preparation for being a badass mom than my life as a basketball player and fan.
Being into and/or playing basketball makes you a better mom in a number of ways, none of which you probably thought about when you were running lines and practicing that beautiful jump shot. From the practices to the games to everything in between, being a former basketball player, or simply loving the game as an impassioned spectator, can help you be the best mom possible. Sure, all the hobbies we had as kids and teens, in each their own way, turn out to shape the adults and parents we become. Being into dance can help you be a great mom, and being obsessed with the '90s can help you be a better mom, but basketball moms have a leg up on parenting — a leg that has probably experienced fatigue, bruises, and shin splints, so that kid can bring their worst.
So, with that in mind, here are 10 reasons why being into basketball makes you a better mother. Now, after reading this, "get to the baseline!"
You Value Teamwork
Basketball is a team sport, so you're all about working together to achieve a common goal. You don't believe yourself to be a more important parent than your partner (if you have one) and you don't think that you'll be able to accomplish everything you want to accomplish, as a mother, by yourself. It takes a village, or rather, a team.
You Won't Take On More Responsibility Than You Should
When you're part of a cohesive unit, you're well aware that you could actually hurt your team by taking on too much. Just because you're a mom, that doesn't mean that you're going to do everything. You know that exhausting yourself by doing someone else's job, isn't going to benefit your kid. It might actually hurt them. You're going to do your job, be responsible for your area of parenting, and then you're going to allow someone else to do theirs.
You Know How To Box Out
I can't tell you how many times "boxing out" comes in handy, when you're a parent. Whether you're trying to keep your kid away from the dishwasher while you unload it, keep your kid out from under the sink while you snag a trash bag, or keep your kid away from the open door while you sign for a package. The ability to "keep your kid away" from something while you do something else is paramount.
You Can Read Your Kid's Defense
You're able to read your opponent's defense, assess its strengths and weakness, and adjust your game plan accordingly. Whether it's attempting to get your kid to sleep or trying to train them to use the potty (and not your kitchen floor), you can penetrate their defenses one carefully calculated move at a time.
You Know When To Switch From A "Man" To "Zone"
When you have one kid, you might use a "zone defense," switching and sharing responsibilities when the kid comes into your zone. Maybe you're in charge of diapering, and your parenting partner is in charge of wiping; Maybe you're in charge of feeding, and your parenting partner is in charge of nap time.
If/when you have more than one kid, you might want (read: need) to switch to a man-to-man defense. You're each responsible for one kid and one kid alone, and you're going to follow that kid all around the house until it's halftime or the game is over.
You Can Handle Someone Coaching You
You're used to someone coaching you, and aren't above admitting that no, you do not know everything, and yes, you do need some advice or help or guidance. Whether you ask a seasoned mom, your partner, your mom, or some lady at the grocery store who just looks like she has the answers, you're equipped to take a little constructive criticism and put it to good use.
You're Used To A Tough Practice
Practice makes perfect, so you're all about the practice. Is it annoying? Sure. Is it exhausting? You bet, but as you make your way through motherhood, you're going to know that the more you practice, the more experience you have, and the better you'll be overall.
You're Mentally Tough
Basketball is just as much a mental game as it is physical, so you're mentally prepared to handle the tough days. Just like basketball, motherhood isn't always fun, but you can power through the moments when it sucks, because you know that the amazing, winning moments are so worth it.
You're Used To Running. A Lot Of Running.
Chasing your kid all around your home won't even cause you to perspire. There's a reason why every basketball player knows (all too well) the running drill called "a suicide."
You Know You Won't Always Win
Just like in a basketball game, you won't always feel like you're "winning" at motherhood. And (also just like with basketball) you'll learn more from your failures than you will from your successes. You might not always come out on top, but you will come out better than you were before the game started.
