You are merely a mother, are you? And if you are anything like me, you have “been waiting all day for Sunday night” (thanks, Carrie Underwood), so that you can take a bath, in private, or have some wine–not to watch football. My bet is that, to you, “fantasy football” is when you fantasize about your imaginary love affair with Tom Brady– not the meticulous building of your football dream team.
Despite the fact that I personally do not know too much about the game of football, I do believe that mothers would make for very good NFL game officials. You see, being a mom is a lot like being an NFL referee. Are you intrigued? Keep reading…
According to the wikiHOW article, “How to Become an NFL Referee,” the following is true of NFL referees:
Okay, back to the football analogies. So when you moms out there are dealing with the next “family foul,” remember that, like football, parenting is high-pressure and also requires a balance of you playing both offense and defense, both for and with the kiddies and the hubby. Further, consider that in football, many rules exist that regulate equality, safety, contact, and actions of players on each team; the same is true for your “team”. Thats right, this is YOUR team. The next time your family Gronk (for me, thats my 3 year old) commits a penalty, remember that NFL officiants call the game based on the mantra that “the penalty must fit the crime”. Us, mothers, need to make sure that we maintain a balance between following the rules and keeping a good flow going. One thing we know for sure is that your little players, and lets be real here, the BIG player as well (yes, hubby, I am talking about you) are constantly looking for ways to find an advantage that stretches the limitations imposed by your rules.
I’ll leave you with a way to look at this whole parenting thing like an NFL official might:
“If you were going to write a 10-chapter book about what it’s like to be an official in the NFL, the first nine chapters would deal with preparation. The last chapter would deal with the game.” – Jerry Seeman, NFL Senior Director of Officiating, 1991–2001
In officiating, you learn tricks of the trade; just as in parenting. There is no secret to being a great parent. It is the result of consistent preparation, hard work and learning from your mistakes.
Play on mere mothers, play on.
#nowifonlymeremothersgotpaidlikenflofficiants
Thanks very much! I’m glad you enjoyed!