Not A Sports Mom

First Swim Lesson: How I Learned We’re All Just Swimming in Baby P*e

There are certain parenting milestones no one truly prepares you for.
The first time your baby sleeps through the night.
The first public meltdown.

And, apparently, the first swim lesson — which is less “adorable bonding moment” and more “why are we all being observed like exotic mammals?”

If you’ve never taken a baby or toddler to swim lessons, let me set the scene.

You, your child, and roughly ten other parents are herded into a humid indoor pool. There is nowhere to hide. The walls are glass. People are watching. Some are smiling. Some are clearly judging your choice of swimsuit. All of them are pretending not to notice that we are collectively soaking in whatever is happening inside those tiny swim diapers.

Welcome to swim class.

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First Swim Lesson: How I Learned We’re All Just Swimming in Baby P*e - Not A Sports Mom What your child’s first swim lesson is really like — nerves, goggles, proud moments, and learning alongside them as a not-so-sports mom.

Essential Tips for Youth Sports Parents (From Someone Who’s Still Figuring It Out)

Real-life advice from a mom learning sports alongside her kid
Youth sports sound simple until you’re actually living them.

Before kids, I thought youth sports meant showing up once or twice a week, clapping politely, and maybe bringing a snack. What I didn’t realize was that youth sports would quietly become a full-blown lifestyle. One that involves juggling schedules, hauling gear, decoding rules I never learned, and managing very big emotions in very small bodies.

I didn’t grow up a sports person. I wasn’t a “sports mom” by nature. And yet here I am, learning hockey rules from YouTube, Googling “what size shin guards does a kid need,” and trying to remember which jersey is clean right now.

That’s why I started Not a Sports Mom — not as an expert, but as someone figuring it out in real time.

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Essential Tips for Youth Sports Parents (From Someone Who’s Still Figuring It Out) - Not A Sports Mom Real-life advice from a mom learning sports alongside her kid Youth sports sound simple until you’re actually living them. Before kids, I thought youth sports meant showing up once or twice a week, clapping politely, and maybe bringing a snack. What I didn’t realize was that youth sports would q...

How We Survive Youth Sports Schedules (Even When I Don’t Know What Day It Is)

Youth Sports Scheduling: Where Time Loses All Meaning
I used to think I was decent at keeping a schedule.

I owned a calendar.
I knew what day of the week it was.
Dinner happened at normal hours.

Then youth sports entered our lives, and now time is more of a suggestion than a rule.

Between practices, lessons, and activities that somehow all overlap, I have fully accepted that I am no longer operating on a normal timeline. I am operating on youth sports time, which moves faster, changes without notice, and requires snacks at all times.

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How We Survive Youth Sports Schedules (Even When I Don’t Know What Day It Is) - Not A Sports Mom Youth Sports Scheduling: Where Time Loses All Meaning I used to think I was decent at keeping a schedule. I owned a calendar.I knew what day of the week it was.Dinner happened at normal hours. Then youth sports entered our lives, and now time is more of a suggestion than a rule. Between practices, l...

Beginner’s Sports Guide for Parents Who Don’t Know Much about Sports

Skill building, exploring, and not overspending in the early years
Even though I grew up cheerleading and skiing, team sports culture feels like a completely different world.

Cheer had routines and repetition. Skiing was individual and seasonal. But soccer practice? Hockey drills? Rotating positions? That’s new territory.

So when we first dipped our toes into youth sports, I kept reminding myself: this doesn’t have to start big.

When kids are little, sports should look like play.

Before leagues.
Before uniforms.

Before standing in a field, wondering why everyone else seems to know which direction to run.

One of the best early decisions we made was focusing on balance and coordination first. A Strider bike helped build confidence without the pressure of learning pedals right away.

It wasn’t about becoming competitive. It was about letting my child trust their body — something I knew mattered from skiing, even if the sport itself was different.

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Beginner's Sports Guide for Parents Who Don't Know Much about Sports - Not A Sports Mom Skill building, exploring, and not overspending in the early years Even though I grew up cheerleading and skiing, team sports culture feels like a completely different world. Cheer had routines and repetition. Skiing was individual and seasonal. But soccer practice? Hockey drills? Rotating positions...

Summer Sports, Backyard Chaos, and How We Somehow Got Into Pickleball

There’s something about summer that makes kids want to try every sport all at once.
And by kids, I mean my child specifically, who wakes up every morning like he’s training for multiple athletic events… none of which I fully understand.

One minute it’s baseball. Then it’s soccer.

Then we’re in the backyard inventing something that loosely resembles a sport but definitely involves water.

And somehow — somewhere along the way — we are now a pickleball family.

I truly do not remember agreeing to this.

Read More:

Summer Sports, Backyard Chaos, and How We Somehow Got Into Pickleball - Not A Sports Mom Fun and easy summer sports ideas for kids, including backyard games, water play, and beginner-friendly activities. Perfect for busy sports moms.

10 Sports Terms I Just Learned (And How I Was Using Them Wrong)

I thought I had a decent handle on sports.
Not like… expert-level. But enough to clap at the right times and nod confidently when other parents said things like “great play.”

And then my kid started actually understanding the game.

Which is when I realized… I had been using almost every sports term incorrectly for years. Not slightly wrong.Fully, confidently wrong.

The kind of wrong where your kid looks at you like, “I love you, but please stop talking.”.

Keep Reading:

10 Sports Terms I Just Learned (And How I Was Using Them Wrong) - Not A Sports Mom Funny and relatable guide to beginner sports terms that every parent learns the hard way. A must-read for sports moms figuring out youth sports.

Accidentally Became a Golf Mom

I really thought I had a decent idea of what sports would eventually show up in our lives.
Maybe soccer. Probably baseball. Definitely hockey, because apparently, once a kid touches a hockey stick, it becomes part of the family forever. Golf, though?

Golf never crossed my mind. Not once. And yet somehow, at 37 years old, I found myself standing in the sporting goods aisle while my 5-year-old seriously compared golf tees like he was preparing for The Masters. And honestly? I still don’t fully know how we got here.

Keep Reading:

Accidentally Became a Golf Mom - Not A Sports Mom I really thought I had a decent idea of what sports would eventually show up in our lives. Maybe soccer. Probably baseball. Definitely hockey, because apparently, once a kid touches a hockey stick, it becomes part of the family forever. Golf, though? Golf never crossed my mind. Not once. And yet som...

“How We Play Sports Without Leaving the House”

When I imagined having a sports kid, I assumed sports would happen at sports places.
You know… soccer would happen on a soccer field. Hockey would happen at a rink. Swimming would happen in a pool. What I did not realize is that sports would mostly happen in my house. Or my backyard. Or occasionally in places that absolutely should not be used for sports. At this point, I honestly think my son sees every room as a potential sports venue. The living room? Hockey rink. The hallway? Sprinting track. The backyard? Golf course, soccer field, baseball diamond, and occasionally the Olympic Games. The kitchen? Technically off limits… but apparently still under consideration. As a mom who didn’t grow up playing most of these sports, I assumed practices and games would be where the learning happened.

Instead, I’ve learned that some of the best sports moments happen between practices. The random moments. The made-up games. The rainy afternoons when a five-year-old has enough energy to power a small city and absolutely must move his body before bedtime. And honestly? Those have become some of my favorite moments.

“How We Play Sports Without Leaving the House” - Not A Sports Mom How do kids play sports without leaving the house? From living room hockey and backyard golf to indoor obstacle courses and soccer games, this sports mom shares fun ways to keep active kids moving year-round.

The First Time My Son Went Fishing (And Apparently Became a Professional Overnight)

I am not a fishing person. Let’s establish that right away.
My son comes from a family of fishermen. His grandfather fishes. His uncles fish. My husband fishes some. Me? I like beaches, lakes, and sitting peacefully near the water, but I do not like touching worms, I do not like touching fish, and I definitely do not understand why anyone willingly wakes up early to stand quietly next to water.

So naturally, my son recently discovered fishing. Because that’s exactly how parenting works: the things you know absolutely nothing about are guaranteed to become your child’s newest obsession overnight.

It Started With a Christmas Gift
For Christmas, my son got a beginner fishing kit. The idea was simple enough: whenever we traveled and spent time with family, he’d have his own little setup so he could fish with his dad, grandfather, and uncles. Mostly, I think everyone pictured some heartwarming family moments—maybe a few cute pictures, perhaps a tiny fish, and maybe fifteen minutes of actual fishing before he inevitably got distracted. As it turns out, that last assumption was pretty accurate.

The First Time My Son Went Fishing (And Apparently Became a Professional Overnight) - Not A Sports Mom From live bait and life jackets to catching his first fish, this beginner fishing story shares funny moments, family memories, and outdoor adventures with kids.

The Backyard Games, Sports, and Summer Activities My Kid Never Gets Tired Of

How Our Backyard Accidentally Became a Sports Complex

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products we actually use, love, or genuinely find helpful in our own sports journey.

Before I became a sports mom, I assumed sports happened at sports facilities.

Soccer happened at soccer fields.

Baseball happened at baseball diamonds.

Hockey happened at hockey rinks.

It seemed pretty straightforward.

Then I had a child.

Now sports happen literally everywhere.

The backyard.

The driveway.

The sidewalk.

The hallway.

The living room.

Occasionally the kitchen if I don’t intervene quickly enough.

At this point, I don’t think my son sees our house as a place where people live. I think he sees it as a multi-sport training facility with very loose supervision and questionable safety standards.

And honestly?

Some of our best sports memories haven’t happened during organized practices, games, or camps.

The Backyard Games, Sports, and Summer Activities My Kid Never Gets Tired Of - Not A Sports Mom Our backyard somehow became a soccer field, golf course, hockey rink, and Olympic venue. Discover the outdoor sports and family games that keep my energetic 5-year-old moving all summer long.