Football mom vs. golf mom.
Justtttt when I thought that the silver lining to being completely and utterly heartbroken about my daughter moving into her dorm last week is that at least this sport’s season, we don’t have to be on the football field on Friday nights sweating profusely pressed up against total strangers who are equally gross and sweaty…our son made the middle school football team.
So, we won’t be spending Friday nights on the football field watching our daughter cheer. Sounds nice, right?
Wrong.
I mean, yes, I’m happy we have our Friday nights back. Let’s face it, we were always dead at the end of the week, but now we have Tuesday night lights. But before you have a chance to think that sounds awesome, Tuesday night lights suck because our daughter has golf matches on Tuesdays.
And that means our son’s very first tackle football experience is going to require dividing and conquering, and my husband and I won’t get to sit in the stands together and cheer him on. Instead, we will be taking two cars to golf matches, one of us will stay with Ava while the other leaves in time to get to football, and then the following week, we will switch who leaves golf early and who watches football. And it sucks.
We both want to be present for both of our kids’ sporting events, but it’s not always possible.
Welcome to fall sports season
I have my stadium chair already in my car. I have my big bag of towels, snacks, bug spray, sunscreen, and more snacks. I have the cooler packed and ready for the ice to put on the back of the golf cart at matches to keep girls’ hydrated and cool. I have band aids and first aid stuff and medicine and hand sanitizer and deodorant in every car and every bag because you never know when someone will need it.
But at the end of the day, while I don’t like splitting up because I want to be everywhere for all my kids all the time, I know it’s not always possible. Our kids have plenty of people who love them tremendously, and they will be just fine if only one of us is in the stands while the other is with a sibling.
Fall Sports Mom Survival Kit (Florida Edition)
So…Florida fall sports aren’t like other fall sports. It never cools off. I mean never. Not once. Not ever. So there is no packing layers or enjoying any clothes at all. It’s sweat, heat, and feeling a little like you might be dying at all times. and that’s why it’s imperative to have what I call the fall sports mom survival kit. What’s in this kit you ask? Every. Fucking. Thing.
Worry not, though, I’ve linked all my favorite items right here.
Sunscreen – because no one wants to burn and then peel and then itch while you’re peeling.
Really, really big cups – because you can pack all the bottled water in the cooler, but you need the Stanley or the Yeti to keep your ice cold and your water colder lest you die.
Sunglasses – The Florida sun will try to blind you like Fawkes the Phoenix blinded the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets (and if you don’t understand that reference, we cannot be friends).
Comfortable shoes – Though I prefer a cute pair of slides, it’s sneakers I need on the golf course. I like my New Balances, but I occasionally do like to wear a pair of Golden Gooses or my cute Gucci sneakers when a pair matches my outfit (you also need a cute outfit).
A good bag – You can take the woman out of the millennium, but you cannot take the millennial out of the woman. I’m all for a cute bag that can be worn as a crossbody so I don’t have to carry one more thing.
A hat – If there is one thing worse than a sunburn on your body, it’s a sunburn on your scalp. A cute hat is a must. I prefer my overpriced Morgan Wallen hat from the concert we went to in the Swamp in May and/or my husband’s Rosemary Beach hat that I stole and made my own.
A portable fan – My favorite is from Amazon. It’s cheap, it’s cute, and it works. Don’t forget to charge it!
A stadium seat – Not for golf, obviously. But for sitting in the stands for a football game, it’s an absolute necessity. And, you do need one that has armrests and cupholders. Are they bulky and do they take up too much space? Yes, but while I’m sure that annoys everyone else in the stands (don’t care, but aware), it also keeps strangers from pressing their sweaty, smelly bodies up against mine in this God-awful heat.
A weatherproof bag – Do I think Bogg bags are cute? No. I find them hideous. Do I own one? Yes, because it’s structured, practical, and it carries all the stuff I need for games.
- Towels
- Snacks
- First aid stuff
- Sunscreen
- Bug spray
- More snacks
- Extra socks
- Baby wipes
If you need it, I have it. But also, I like to sit by myself and not talk to anyone who doesn’t live in my home, so…don’t ask.
Tiffany Raiford 