Take Your Kids Out
In 1993 Take your daughter to work was started by the Ms. Foundation. It was an effort to show young ladies the different career choices available to them. Since that time, the name of the day has been changed to “Take Your Daughters and Sons to work day.”
While I applaud the effort to teach your child about the career choices ahead of them, I would like to propose a new day on the calendar. I believe this day could be an International Holiday celebrated by the world community no matter what race, religion or location. I propose, “Take Your Daughter or Son to a Game Day.” On this day parents around the world will grab their kids and take them to a sporting event. It doesn’t have to be professional sporting event; it can be a minor league game, a college game, even a High School game if you wish. The point is go out with your kids and enjoy the show.
So why now??? Why did this brilliant idea just come to me? Last week, I had the joy of taking my two sons to the Israeli National Team Basketball Game against Italy. This was a game that Israel lost, but I won. As the game went on, I had the privilege of watching my kids smile like I have never seen them smile. One Son wrapped in an Israeli Flag and the other blowing a noise maker everytime Israel touched the ball, the excitement they felt brought back such great memories for me.
The funny thing is this by no means the first game I had ever taken my kids to. We have been to the Richmond Renegades (minor league hockey), The Richmond Braves (minor league baseball), Virginia Commonwealth University Baseball and Basketball and an assortment of High School Games in the old neighborhood in Virginia. My oldest was even at Fenway for a game between the Red Sox and Cleveland Indians in which Manny Ramirez ran on the field carrying a US flag to mark his new citizenship. But I digress. This game was different. It was about National Pride, about being a part of a culture and a community. It was about a father and his sons cheering and laughing together. These are the nights that lasting memories are made of.
In of the summer 1994 my Father and Mother took me to a Richmond Braves game in Richmond, Virginia, the city I grew up in. While the outcome of the game is irrelevant now, the memories are not. This was the last game my father took me to before he died a few months later. I never would have imagined that this was the last game I would go to with him, but that is life or should I say death. I am extremely luck though, I have a mother that loves sports (and will be the first to tell you she taught my father everythng he knows about sports) and has taken me to many games since then. We have been to Fenway, Turner Field and Nationals Park together. We have cheered the Braves and Sox to victory and suffered together as the lowly Nationals beat our beloved Braves. But like my sons during the Basketball game, we laughed and cheered, and this is what sports are all about.
Now back to my proposed holiday! In a world that needs more laughter and family time, why not an International take your kids to a game day. Ballparks and Arenas can discount tickets around the world and families can go out and see a game! It is tricky of course to come up with a day that works for everyone. Selfishly I propose October 14th, in memory of my Father.
2 Responses to “Take Your Kids Out”
Comment from Cissy Gershman
Time August 30, 2010 at 3:52 am
Hi, Great idea Andy. I loved taking my kids to a game. One comment though. I think I taught YOU everything you know about sports!!!
Love you, MOM
Comment from valdir nascimento
Time August 28, 2010 at 11:50 pm
Gostei muito da ideia, acho mesmo muito importante encontrar formas para que as crianças passem à adimirar ainda muito mais o seu país, que neste caso seria ISRAEL.Shalom