I picked Kai up from soccer today 15 minutes early in order to get to physical and occupational therapy on time. The first words out of his mouth were "I no play soccer anymore. I all done." I asked why and he just said, "I no want!" I told him he needed to tell me why. After asking why a few times, he told me that most of his team are 7th graders and haven't played before. Ahhhh, he's on the "B" team and doesn't like that he is with YOUNGER kids and kids who have play NO soccer before.
I go into a small lecture on how coach knows where each boy should be and how we just have to do what coach says. That didn't get me anywhere. I then said, "Kai, you are bigger, smarter, and have played before so those other boys need you so they know how to play soccer by watching you." This caught his attention. He kept repeated over and over the same questions regarding that so I must have said it 10 times. He was obviously processing it. While processing and waiting for our appointment to start, I put my hand on his back, gave him a little rub and said, "I am proud of you, Kai. You are like the coaches helper on your team. You help the other boys know where to be and how to play soccer. Good job."
I haven't heard anymore about not returning to soccer tomorrow. We'll see how the morning goes. I have certainly learned to think on my feet over this past year. Every moment becomes some kind of teaching moment and, often times, I have to figure out the best way to present things to him off the cuff. It's exhausting. Thankfully, the words come.
Kai told me he met a mormon today. I chuckled and asked who (even thought I already knew). His new lunch buddy is LDS and Kai found that out today. He has been talking about his new friend quite a bit this evening.
