I’m more Woolly Spice than Sporty Spice.

Today is the annual Field Day at the girls’ school. Because Jeff is The Athletic Parent and I am The Couch Parent, he took a vacation day to spend seven hours playing outdoor games with the kids. Sadly, yesterday he came home sick with a terrible stomachache and a fever. Because he has an assigned job, it seems unacceptable to not step up and act as his replacement.

Guess who will be lugging around a huge cooler full of water this morning from 9:00 until noon? Me! My official job is Water Relief, and I really should do some push-ups or something because I can barely move the vacuum around for three minutes before my arms start flashing the gang sign for Extreme Fatigue. The instruction sheet says, “Please walk around with the cooler and ask adult volunteers only if they would like a water bottle.” (The kids will have their own bottles.) Here’s hoping another parent has the assignment of asking me if I would like a cot! (Because I would like a cot! Or a scooter!)

The Water Relief shift will require more brawn than brains. To compensate for that, I’ll be spending the afternoon shift in charge of Gym Choice which involves Beach Volleyball, Basketball, and Beanbag Electronic Game. I’m cool with Beanbag Electronic Game, but I have absolutely no clue on volleyball or basketball. (The coach has provided detailed instructions, and I’ve been studying those and trying to picture it all in my head for the past hour.) Funny. I own three shirts that say Mid-County Volleyball Champion. The girls believe that I *am* the Mid-County Volleyball Champion. In reality, Jeff gave me those shirts nearly a decade ago. He was on the winning team. I was on the couch.

I wonder if I could shift focus and teach 500 kids how to crochet a bookmark or roll a cake ball?
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15 thoughts on “I’m more Woolly Spice than Sporty Spice.”

  1. Lord, today is Alex’s field day, too. Is it international elementary school field day, or something?

    Good luck, dude. I’m getting reprieved from helping today, because I chaperoned for her field trip yesterday.

    And by the way, did we have all of these field days when *we* were in school? We did not! When I was her age, I attended school from sunup to sundown! And sometimes all through the night! And that was after walking through the snow to get uphill both ways!

    In the Caribbean!

    K.

  2. If you think about it, bookmark crochet and the manufacture of cake pops are skills that will take these kids much further in life than volleyball.

  4. My kids’ school had a knitting program — boys were as into it as the girls. It was run by a teacher and community volunteer. I got to donate some of my old lesser yarn. Go forth?

  5. Do you have a wagon? You could put the cooler in the wagon and pull it around instead of having to lug it to and fro.

  7. I agree with The Coffee Lady, why can’t they bring their own. I don’t remember a parent volunteer asking other parent volunteers if they wanted water when we were in school (which I don’t even remember having parent volunteers for field day, but then again my parents volunteered for very little when I was in school. My mom saw me in marching band once and they never saw me run track once the one year I did it. That’s another issue. I really am over it.)

    Have fun! My son’s field day was last Friday. Today is his 6th grade party at a roller rink near me.

  8. Field day here in Texas too, but it is rained out and and postponed till next week. I pulled our rolling cooler last year with all the kids drinks. It wasn’t bad and I got a lot of really good pictures, including one with my daughter’s teacher sliding down the slip and slide. Hope you have fun! :)

  9. Today is Field Day here but Charlie is home sick with a fever. He was running a 102 all day yesterday and today it was 101.8. I haven’t mentioned Field Day because Charlie will be extremely upset if he realizes he’s missing it. It was bad enough he missed “Sculture Day” (Multi-Cultural Day) yesterday. The boy cried off and on all day about that.

  10. Sheesh, the things we have to do in the name of Parenthood!

    I second the suggestion of a wagon, (though wouldn’t it be even more ideal to just pull it behind you while riding a Sewgway?!).

    This post made me laugh out loud. VERY out loud. Thank you. I needed that today!

  11. Field day here, too, in S.C. I got out of volunteering because I well, just didn’t sign up.

    I felt less guilty because I helped herd the same beasties through the zoo a few weeks ago. And because I work. A lot.

    I work harder when I’m avoiding PTA stuff. I’ve gotten a lot done today. :)

  12. do you mean Track & Field day? With hurdles and long jump and such? That was always so much fun…and I *always* ended up with sunburn and sometimes even a couple of ribbons, even if they only said “Participant”

    Good for you stepping up to help out! You should be rewarded with a special ribbon too! ;)

  14. I’m with Mitzi! But it’s a good tired because I didn’t have to go to work today. Nope, just had to be on vacation, and shop til I could drop in Myrtle Beach. Eat your heart out!

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