How old are your DC before you leave for parts of their tournaments?

[ourbabygirl]

DD is starting to have vb tournaments from 8-4 (this weekend she'll play 4 games and ref 2), and I'll be the one bringing her. Luckily DH is home and can keep the other two kids home (they'd be super bored, plus it's far away and we have to pay admission for everyone).
DS will eventually have soccer tournaments, too, and I'm wondering how to manage that to use our time most efficiently.

I figure I'll stay there the whole time, but was wondering if there's ever an age where you would leave (to run errands, etc.) during parts of it, or even have your kid ride with you one way, and with a teammate another way. Is that bad?

Also, I love watching her and her team, and talking with the other parents, but starting next year I'll have a lot of grading to do and I'm wondering how to get some of it done during parts of the tournaments without coming off as anti-social.

How do you do it in your own family, and how much/ how often do the younger siblings go and watch the older ones play, especially when events are far away and admission costs add up?

Thanks!

[georgiegirl]

How old is she?

I’ve left both of my kids (13 and 10) at swim meets. This weekend DD is at a swim meet in another state with a friend and her family. I’m usually at the swim meet though since I’m a swim official and I work at the meets. But because I’m working, I can’t help my kids, so they are completely independent at these events. The only time I bring DS2 is when it’s an out of town meet and I don’t have someone to watch him. We only have to pay admission for the state meets.

Eta: a lot of our meets are streamed live, so other family can watch without attending

[SnuggleBuggles]

I’ve sat outside and worked before during the long events. But, I haven’t driven off.
Splitting with another parent and skipping some is fine though. Plenty of parents do it.


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[mom2binsd]

I'm a single parent with an x who isn't that interested in participating, so I have had to send my kids for a game out of town or even a tournament out of state with another family many times. I can't be in two places at once and often they play hockey hours away. I have talked to my kids that I can't always be there. Sometimes I have to work and miss things, but that is what pays for the sports.

My kids have always been fine if I'm not there. They have been like this since about age 7.

Do what you can, other parents will step in and help. I offer to take kids when I know someone is not able to make it. Kids need to learn their parents can't always be there.

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[Kestrel]

Honestly, it depends. Mostly, I'm worried about injury and what would happen if DS got injured and I wasn't there.

When DS was in soccer, the coach was a pediatrician. I had no problem dropping him off, I knew she would take care. Or swim lessons, the teacher was one-on-one with the kids, the risk was minimal. However, I'd never leave a judo tournament. I watched one of my niece's cheer team mates fall and break her leg in three places. I guess it's what level of risk you're comfortable with.

Perhaps if I had another parent to trade off with? But for me, probably never leaving.

[westwoodmom04]

I have had another family take one of my kids to a tournament. We’ve known some of these families for four or five years at this point, and kids are 12 and 14.

[JBaxter]

I’ve never left any of my boys I always stay always watch Sometimes DH has one and I have one but they always have at least one parent attending the game

[Twoboos]

I usually stay, but there are times I wished I hadn't (5hr outdoor tournament in the windy driving rain ). DD is a sophomore so she'd be fine, although she's not really close with girls on her club team so would probably be uncomfortable but make it through.

Here's a new one - she has a tournament tomorrow and because of the venue there are NO spectators allowed! So I have to drive her an hour there, drop her off, hang around somewhere for 4 hours, then pick her up. Hellllooooo...

[SnuggleBuggles]

I usually stay, but there are times I wished I hadn't (5hr outdoor tournament in the windy driving rain ). DD is a sophomore so she'd be fine, although she's not really close with girls on her club team so would probably be uncomfortable but make it through.

Here's a new one - she has a tournament tomorrow and because of the venue there are NO spectators allowed! So I have to drive her an hour there, drop her off, hang around somewhere for 4 hours, then pick her up. Hellllooooo...

Definitely a perfect scenario for carpool!


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[ourbabygirl]

Yeah, she's 11, and very mature. I haven't left because of the possibility of injury, and it's hard to figure out the timing of when they wouldn't be playing; it's such a short window, and with parking and going in and out of the building and finding a spot to sit, it's probably not really worth leaving.