The busy sports season for your little athlete can be grueling for both parent and child. The schedule can get a little crazy, the cost of travel can be a bit overwhelming, and free time may become virtually non-existent for athletes and parents.
The off-season is an opportunity to recharge your batteries as you gear up for the madness of next season. If you are a Team Mom like myself, you totally understand where I’m coming from. So let’s discuss some ways to take advantage of this little break.
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In gymnastics, our new season training begins in late June, meets begin in December and the season ends around early May. We have a very brief “off-season” technically. But generally speaking, we have a bit of time to recharge over the summer before meets and school start back up.
How to Best Use Your Break From Team Mom Duties to Recharge
There are a few things I recommend doing to take advantage of the off-season regardless of what sport you are involved in.
Stay Active
Find ways to stay active with your child. You don’t want to fall into a slump during the off-season, because it makes it even more difficult to get back into the swing of things once the season begins. Find fun ways to be active as a family while enjoying some much-needed quality time. Maybe the children can even try out a new sport.
Indulge in Relaxation
Treat yourself to a weekly massage or spa day. Even consider doing something as simple as regular nice hot baths with a glass of wine to wind down. The main idea here is that you treat yourself to a bit of relaxation that you aren’t able to make time for during the season in the midst of all your team mom duties.
Save Money
Dedicate a bit of time to couponing, budgeting, and saving. Seek out free events to entertain the family. Cook your own meals. Find deals on Groupon for items on your shopping list. Sports travel can add up, and off-season is a good time to build up a traveling fund. For more tips on saving, check out this blog post.
Make Extra Money
Off-season is a good time to find fun ways to make extra money. The kiddos can get in on the fun as well with these fun ways for kids to make extra money. After all the expenses of team sports, it’s refreshing to have some extra cash on hand.
Outline a Plan For When the Season Starts Back
Gently ease yourself back into the busy sports season by preparing a plan that includes an outline of what your daily schedule will look like, how/where you will set aside funds for sport and team travel costs, vacations you have pre-planned during the season, and any team parent duties you will be responsible for such as providing snacks and meals.
Using these tips, both you and your athlete will be able to reboot during the off-season and set the stage for a successful competitive season. You no longer have to anxiously await the start of the season. Even as a team Mom, you can have fun and get prepared without all the extra stress.
