However, it did not always start out this way. The first time I brought my daughter to a football game, she threw a tantrum so bad that I was mortified. I didn’t bring any toys for her to play with. It was my first time. I thought she’d just run around and play.
Biggest mistake that I never made again.
Fast-forward to the next Friday night. I had my toy bag all ready to go. But guess what? She had another humongous tantrum because I didn’t bring any snacks. And by 10 p.m., she was already hungry again.
Never made that mistake again.
The next Friday night, I had my toy bag, a water bottle, and her snacks all ready to go. But this time, she was so tired. She was not going to make it through the game, and I didn’t have a stroller. She was miserable, and so I was miserable.
Needless to say, I bought that Jeep wagon I mentioned earlier, and now both my kids are quite comfortable.
I laugh now at all the stuff I bring with me, and I’ll get questions like, “Are you sure you’re going to need all that?” And I just smile, nod, and unpack my bus with all of our essentials.
I wouldn’t call myself a pro yet because now that there are two babies running around, sometimes I feel my head still spinning and forgetting something.
All of this is to say that it’s okay if you’re not the “perfect parent” on what is already a stressful night.
I see so many moms on TikTok and Instagram who always seem to have everything. Not only that, it’s all aesthetically pleasing and neatly put away in some carrying case. I’ve decided I probably won’t ever be that mom.
But that is OKAY. My children are happy and healthy, and they ask me every day when we can go run on the football field.
THAT is what matters.