357 Parents – Take Time for Yourself

Magazine. Hutch. Woody, this one will sound like it's aimed at the older parents out there, but, I hope the young ones listen in because it's really for you. And while I tend to talk about things that are sort of relevant to the time of year, you know, tryout season, camp season, all those sort of things, This one is a little bit out of season. But while the sun is shining out there, it is time to get in some good habits.

I am talking this week about making some time for yourself. You know, Woody, I, I had a reality check the other day playing softball. I had to throw the ball and I realized it doesn't go nearly as far as it used to, not even close.

I can make it go as far as it used to, but then my arm wants to fall off.

Yeah. I I I tried to I tried to throw it over the cutoff man and I barely got it to him. So, I couldn't run as fast. Again, not even close and, trust me, everything hurts more for a long time. Honestly though, it's not just the softball.

I am turning 60 years old this year. The knees hurt a little bit more, standing up after sitting down hurts a little bit more, everything's just a little bit harder than it used to be. And here's the thing, folks, it sneaks up on you. Now I'm not here to blame the hockey lifestyle entirely. I am responsible for the choices that I've made, but there's this feeling we have as parents that I wanted to talk about, and that's the idea that you have to be there for everything, every game, every practice.

We want to support our kids, of course. At first, it's only one or two ice times a week when they're U7, U8, something like that. Then they get older and there's more. And then maybe they move up to a higher level of rep or something along those lines more times, more commitments. We're the ones driving, so we're spending more time with them at those as well.

And you're spending a lot more time in the rink and it will take its toll even if you don't notice it. The older you get, the more having some time to exercise matters even more just as you have less and less time for it. You know, one, this is it's now back a while, but one of the good things that came out of COVID for us, one of the very few good things was that we were forced out of the rink. Our kids were lucky enough to keep practicing, but we couldn't go and join them. So we had time and that meant we went for nice long walks, runs even.

And I'm realizing now how important that was, not just for my physical health but my mental health as well. Here's something else to think about. Your kids need to learn how to be okay on their own in the game. Sooner than you think, especially if they're playing at higher levels, they're gonna be away from home. Maybe 13 years old, 16, 18.

Missing the odd road game wouldn't be crazy. And when you do drop them off at practice, well, maybe you and a couple of the other parents should go for a walk instead of just sitting in the rink because yeah, the social time is really important for us parents as well.

And if you've been at every game and every practice, they haven't learned that little bit of independence that they need so that they'll be able to perform when they move on to that next level. Look, I'm not telling you you should be skipping all the games. Although you know what? Missing the odd road game wouldn't be crazy. And when you do drop them off at practice, well, maybe you and a couple of the other parents should go for a walk instead of just sitting in the rink because yeah, the social time is really important for us parents as well.

But do something for yourself. Trust me on this. As you get a little older and as they get a little older, that's when you need the exercise the most and it's when you've got the least amount of time for it. There are more and more responsibilities. Life gets busier.

So give yourself permission to take some time for yourself. Your kids will be fine. It will actually be good for them and you will be healthier for it physically and mentally. And me now, I gotta go make up for some lost time here when it comes to my own physical and mental health. So that's what I'm gonna do.

60. I know. It's crazy. Dude,

do you know what you need to start doing again? I see those pads behind you, my friend.

Oh, gosh. Well, I got a little work to do before I can put the pads back. And look, that's exactly an example of what I was talking about today, Woody, because it sneaks up on you, especially when your kid's the goalie. You got busy. And when you're a goalie.

Yourself. And then, you know, Matty hit Bantam and it was off to all sorts of crazy stuff he was doing at the time, and it's just a lot harder for me to do it. And, and when you're a beer league goaltender, it's a lot harder to not show up for games. You know, if the third line left winger doesn't make it, nobody's too too upset. But

Come on. Nobody's got a third line in beer league. Come on.

Yeah. Fair enough. Well, either that or everybody's a third liner.

Yeah. Yeah. That's true. That's true. We only have fourth liners on my team, Hutch.

Yeah. Exactly.

Don't tell them I said that.

So, yeah, one day we will get the pads back on. No question.

So I will I will make a recommendation because now I'm gonna this is gonna be my goal to push you to get the pads back on. Now that I know we've got a conscious health effort kick going here. Mhmm. I'm gonna recommend two things. I'm gonna recommend Maria Mountain's program.

She's the best.

For the hips. Mhmm. I'm also gonna recommend James Wendland, five damn things for the hips. Do you know that I am gonna I'm you know what? I should I don't even wanna say this out loud and put this into the ether.

Where is the wood that I need to knock on before I make this statement? God, I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna do it anyways. Have not had a lower body injury sustained since starting Five Damn Things for the hips. Way on and just the butterfly mobility and width and flexibility and how that sort of anchors everything.

We've had pro goalies try it for the first time and be like, why did nobody show me this? So if you, like Hutch, are thinking of putting your mental and physical health first and getting back out on the ice after a long time off of it as a goaltending parent, we know many that fall into the same boat, Those are good places to start.

Some who take it up as a parent. You might wanna take up goaltending. Like myself in my mid