Another hockey season is upon us. I’ve learned a lot of lessons in my prestigious role as a hockey mom of six players, and thought it might be worth sharing a few.
1.Train them to be independent. Never carry their hockey bags for them, and teach them to dress themselves for hockey from a young age. With six kids in hockey, raising self-sufficient little players is key to my sanity.
2.Don’t judge a coach by how many wins the team gets. Judge the coach by how many players want to return to hockey again next season.
3.Being a goalie mom is not for the weak. One of my six is a goalie. When I got over the sticker shock of the price of goalie equipment, I had to brace myself for what it’s like to be in the stands when there is sudden death in overtime or a shootout.
4.Get involved. Two of my girls are on the same team, and the team did not have a trainer. I did the little online course, so have spent the season in the change room with the girls and on the bench with the team. It has changed my whole hockey mom experience. I got to know the whole team really well and I’ve learned so much about the game from listening to the coaches.
5.Never resent sitting in a cold arena. I remind myself that in the blink of an eye I’ll have every Saturday to myself and I’m pretty sure when that time comes, I’ll be wishing I was sitting in a cold arena cheering on my kiddos. Don’t wish their childhoods away.
6.Make them responsible for their own equipment. Obviously, with six sets of hockey gear, every helmet, stick and elbow pad has a Mabel’s Labels hockey label. I can’t afford to be replacing lost hockey gear. And since us hockey parents have to stick together… here’s a coupon code for 15% off the Hockey Gear Label Pack. Don’t be fooled by the name! It’s perfect for summer sports like lacrosse, too! Just use code HOCKEYLABELS15 at checkout.