The Kid Mero

<p>And when my kids were small, thats how it wasevery Sunday, Daddy would sit on the couch with the fam and eat $5 pizza. </p>

<p>But then my kids started growing up and they began playing sports. Thats when I knew Id have to set some ground rulesfor myself.</p>

<p>As a Dominican, I am obligated by the constitution to get all my kids to play baseball. But so far, it looks like thats probably not going to happen. </p>

<p>My oldest son is nine years old. He likes to read. He plays soccer and anything else other kids are playing, but like me, he loves watching sports more than he loves playing them. </p>

<p>My middle son, seven, and youngest son, five, are different. They see me get animated watching sports and they want to play sports. Then I get swept up in their excitement.</p>

<p> If they want to practice dribbling, Im setting up cones and doing the first demo. If we need to buy a ball specifically made for my five-year-old, Im ordering it with two-day shipping. My daughter isnt old enough to play sports yet, but when shes ready, if shes ready, so am I. </p>

<p>I tell my kids that Im cool with whatever they want to be in life and I will support whatever they do, except if they want to be a YouTuber.</p>

<p>I mean, I yell all the time. <a href="https://twitter.com/THEKIDMERO?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" id="ef114c54-8766-34a7-ac68-61e8ab18e131">  On Twitter </a> . At the TV. But as noted poet Meek Mill once said, Theres levels to this shit. I feel that pressure, though. So instead, as Dominicans do, I try to talk with my hands.</p>

<p>For example, instead of yelling, YO!!! CALL FOR THE FUCKIN PICK THAT KID HAS BLOWN FOUR LAYUPS IN A ROW STOP PASSING!!! MAKE HIS BIG GOOFY ASS SET THE PICK!!! THATS AN EASY BUCKET!!!!! THEY CANT GUARD YOU, FAM!!!!!, I motion all these things with my hands. </p>

<p>Because the only thing worse than my kid getting cooked by a kid with a fauxhawk while his overbearing dad sits next to me screaming, YEAUGH!! GIVE IT TO IM, BLAKE!! is me getting into a fight with that dad.</p>

<p>Kids dont understand moral victories or covering spreads, and losing is very demoralizing. Sometimes playing and watching sports is entertaining, and sometimes someone gets violently juked/dunked/homered on. </p>

<p>Parents talk all the time about how winning isnt important. What they dont talk about is how important losing is. Losing may make you want to quit, but every loss has some teachable moment.</p>

<p>And if I cant find one, thank God for YouTubes inspirational treasure trove of INCREDIBLE NY SPORTS MOMENTS, or that video I have of Mero III hitting a runner in the lane over an 11-year-old that looks cool as shit.</p>

<p>If my kids want to stop playing a sport they chose to play, and I havent embarrassed them with my crazy hand gestures, and best-of clips arent cutting it, they can stop. </p>

<p>Its on me to let go, toobecause I love them. </p>

<p>Im not saying that because its the right thing to say. I also love my wife very much. Same goes for my mom; my dad; my brother, Tito; and my sister, Ingrid. </p>

<p>But theres one major difference between my kids and the rest of my family: I will most likely never be in a gym, standing on bleachers, waving maniacally for my mom to get back on defense after hitting a reverse layup. As a dad, I have a responsibility to place the fanaticism I have for my children over the fanaticism I have for sports.</p>

<p>Plus, I would never do that to my mom, because my mom is a playmaker with a high motor.</p>

The 4 Rules I Had to Learn About Kids and Sports

I am, and will be, until the day I die, a Knicks fan, a Giants fan, and a Yankees fan27 rings, bro! (Heavy Staten Island accent.) I grew up in a household where our lives and schedules involved, and sometimes revolved around, watching these teams.

4 Rules The Kid Mero Had to Learn When His Kids Starting Playing Sports

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The Kid Mero

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4 Rules The Kid Mero Had to Learn When His Kids Starting Playing Sports