Surviving The Weekend Sports... In WINTER! | Life Love and Hiccups: Surviving The Weekend Sports... In WINTER!
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Wednesday 17 June 2015

Surviving The Weekend Sports... In WINTER!

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It’s cold wet and muddy out there and yet every week they line up eyeing off the opposition, ready to brave the weather, risking frostbite on fingers as they fight the elements - all in the name of glory... and that’s just us parents. 

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“Sign them up to play Soccer and Rugby” they said.

“It will be fun” they said.

Funny how no one really mentioned the part where we parents are expected to face gale force winds as we try to remain on our feet on the sidelines. Standing in knee deep puddles of sludge, wiping sleet from our eyes and pushing our frozen vocal chords to the limits as we roar our encouragement to our kids out on the field.

Alright, so I might be exaggerating a little, but there is no denying winter sports can be just as tough on us parents as it is on our kids.

Tougher even.

I mean… at least the little rug rats are staying warm as they run around chasing balls, whilst we are totally relying on the hot thermoses of coffee we are desperately clutching to keep the blood circulating to our fingers tips whilst we stand on the sidelines and cheer our kids on.

It always rains at the games.

Have you ever noticed how you wake to a bright shining sun and yet by the time you arrive at the fields the sky has clouded over and the heavens have opened to welcome you with a down pouring of torrential rain?

It’s practically a given.

I have to confess that I am one of those people who wake on a Saturday and Sunday morning and before I even open one eye to peer at the sky outside of our bedroom window, I say a little prayer…

“Please let there be a text message saying sport has been cancelled today so I can go back to sleep”.

OK so maybe I don’t say it every weekend. Just the ones where the games are super early and it is cold and windy and rainy… which is practically every weekend that sport is on, but hey – who’s counting?

I’m pretty sure I am not the only parent that does this… right?

And then, have you ever noticed that if by chance you happen to score a day where it is not raining, you arrive at the fields in your freshly cleaned car and your beautiful little sport loving sprocket and his team mates find like the one and only patch of mud on the grounds and they manage to slide in it over, and over again, until their jerseys are black, their shoes are cemented and only the whites of their eyes remain clean as they peer out of the mud on their faces like little tribal warriors?

And all that takes place in the warm up session before the game even begins.

And then the icing on the cake comes when you remember “lucky me, it’s our turn to wash the jerseys.”

Have you also noticed that when you finally make it through everyone’s games, you arrive home and for the first time since last week’s game the kids actually fight over who gets to shower or bath first? 

If only they were that enthusiastic to get clean every other night of the week.

You are cold and often wet to the bone and yet you put the filthy jerseys on to soak and you tag team the kids in the bath before you finally get a chance to jump in the shower and warm up for yourself.

I have a whole new appreciation for my parents, because (insert granny voice here) back in my day, we had this tiny electric hot water system that never provided enough hot water for all of us to shower after a cold day at weekend sports.

If I remember correctly you had approximately 2.18 minutes to get clean and wash your hair in the shower before the hot water ran out mid shampoo, and more often than not you would lose track of time which would result in a whole lotta cursing and banging on the bathroom door from your mum or dad, who were also cold and wet and desperate for a hot shower.

I am so glad times have changed and now as a parent myself, I am lucky enough to have an instantaneous Natural Gas hot water heater because getting out kids to shower in under 2 minutes would be like asking a teenager to give up their iPhone… it’s just never gonna happen.

A Natural Gas hot water system ensures you have instant and continuous hot water when you need it. 

There are a wide range of systems readily available which means that there’s a hot water solution to suit every family and enough hot water for everyone to enjoy a post game shower.

With Natural Gas you are not bound by peak and off peak periods, so you can use your hot water and your gas appliances whenever you want, without having to worry about paying more at certain times of the day.

OK so you are finally home from the game, the kids and you are showered and the muddy jerseys are soaking – you deserve to reward yourself with a steaming cup of hot chockie.

I like to make our hot chocolate the old fashioned way by warming the milk on the gas stove top. The gas heats the milk to perfect temperature very quickly so you can be drinking your hot chockie in no time at all.

If you want a totally decadent hot chocolate and you aren’t afraid of a few calories between friends, then I promise myhot chockie recipe won’t disappoint.

If you would like more information on how Natural Gas can deliver you hot water or a warm cosy home at the press of a button or a turn of the tap – check out The Natural Gas website here or find out how to apply for a Gas Connection at your home here.

Do you or your kids play winter sport?

Do you have any post game rituals?