Back in the game

It was with the High Calling Blogs network that this blog first gained a tiny audience, and it was L.L. Barkat who became my first regular commenter. I owe a lot to both of them. And now that L.L. has asked me to provide a twice-monthly parenting column to the HCB website, I owe her even more.


So to L.L. and the rest of the good folks at High Calling, I offer a humble nod of thanks...



The thing about having two young children is that they cannot understand the importance of a baseball game, especially one being played in September. The playoffs are in sight, the tension is high, and the fans are whipped into a frenzy. All plusses, I might add.

And I will also add that those plusses are totally lost on my children, who still see baseball as a funny game played by men wearing funny pants. This is, as far as I can tell, the only gulf between us.

All of which necessitates certain rules my children must abide by when I am watching a game, namely to leave me alone. Harsh, I know. Also true.

That said:

Last night. Middle of the seventh inning, score tied, runners in scoring position. A crucial point in the game.

“Daddy,” asks my daughter, “can we play Simon Says?”.

“Okay,” I mumble, carefully maneuvering her away from between me and the television.

“You go first!” she shrieks.

“Simon says sit here beside me and watch the ballgame...”




To read the rest of this story, please follow this link to the column on High Calling Blogs. And yes, Simon says.