By Staff
Chuck Bodiford Publisher
Until November 6, of last year, I had no idea about what it took to be a parent. How much money would it cost, how much of my time would I give up and how bad will those diapers really smell? These were only a couple of the questions I found myself asking. The only knowledge I had about being a parent was from my viewpoint, the viewpoint of a child. That viewpoint changed the instant I was able to hold my daughter in my arms. Not only has that viewpoint changed, but it continues to change everyday as new situations present themselves allowing me to experience both the sacrifices and rewards of being a parent.
With Escambia Academy going to the playoffs, I had a couple of citizens, or parents, who called the office to make sure we knew what was going on and that we were going to cover the game. Looking from the eyes of a parent I now understand where these parents are coming from. These parents are proud of their children, and they should be. When it comes to extracurricular activities, parents put in the same if not more hours than their children do. Think about it; how many children wash their own uniforms after running around the bases? I would venture to say not many.
When I was younger I had the opportunity to have baseballs whiz past my face as I stood up to bat playing little league baseball here in town. Delusions of grandeur came over me as I walked up to the plate. I would plant my left foot and swing the bat in a circular motion similar to a tire revolving on an axle. I am sure that visions of the next Babe Ruth swept over the crowd, or maybe not. I would then crouch down and make probably the smallest strike zone in history. For an entire season, I think I was walked every time I got up to bat. No matter my game play, my parents were always there backing me up, rooting me on. It meant so much to me knowing they were there, and for the first time, I know why they were there. As a parent that is our job, to be there for our children. It doesn't matter if our children have had the worst or best day in their life, we have to be there giving our support.
These people who called us about the playoff games in Montgomery illustrate this point. They are proud of their children and want everyone to know it. Not only did they let us know about the game, where and when it was going to be held and what was expected, but even helped a short-handed small town newspaper cover a newsworthy community event we lacked the resources to record at the time. One of the parents provided us with pictures and another one wrote the stories we ran in Sunday's issue of the Advance. These parents went above and beyond to make sure that their children were recognized for their accomplishments. In today's world our children need all the positive role models they can get, and as parents we need to be willing to step up to the plate, or in the case of Escambia Academy's parents, be willing to take the ball to the rim.
Before I forget, congratulations Escambia Academy Cougars and Lady Cougars for a job well done.
Chuck Bodiford is an Atmore native and publisher of the Advance. He may be reached by calling 368-2123 or by email at chuck.bodiford@atmoreadvance.com