The Not So Polite Side Of Suburbia and Soccer Parents

Today is a good day in that I haven't experienced any inpolite or rude people. Everyday I usually do. The worst days are when I take my sons to their soccer games. The obscenities and lack of team etiquette from some of the parents is astounding. For example, I may be quietly sitting in the sidelines, occassionally cheering on as I watch my sons play. Shouting out encouraging words like "go baby! go!" or "Come on baby you can do it!"...but when I hear other parents and what they yell at their kids, smoke just wants to blow out of my ears.

In one instance our team's parents were sitting just watching the game. We were all trying to encourage our boys since we were losing the game at that point. Well, the parents from the other team were behind talking all kinds of things about our sons! They were saying how they were not calling anything on our team and about how one player was not running at all. It was pathetic. I know that we can get really impassioned about our kids and even a little downright obnoxious, but talking about the other team's kids especially when the parents are within earshot is not ok.

Then the other team's parents start yelling at the referee because he is making bad calls. Mind you, the referee is actually not calling on their kids who are elbowing, tripping, and just plain pushing our kids and in plain sight! During that game two of our kids resulted getting injured. While I know it's part of the game, it is not ok for the parents to even encourage this behavior, which they did. I guess in this dog-eat-dog world parents are teaching their children that it's ok to push, shove, and bully their way through success. It's a shame that we can't value hard work, politeness, humbleness, and just plain respect for others anymore.