From my weekly article at WorldMag.com:
photo credit: jdan57 via photopin cc It’s that time of year again when all the Little League dads and moms come out to play. And by “play” I, of course, mean verbally abuse umpires and players before turning on one another.
A trend that has been growing in the United States for the past several years goes into high gear in mid-summer, as aggressive parents ruin the fun of what should be a child’s delightful pastime on the diamond. (Of course, these parents have been known to do the same at the local gymnasium or hockey rink at other times during the year.) This past spring Time even reported on a new trend—and new low—in children’s sports: “helicopter coaches,” screaming over-the-top types who take a fun game way too seriously.
The problem is readily apparent, but the cause is not. Why do so many parents and coaches (often the same people) create such a ruckus about a kids’ game? A single word gives the answer: idolatry.
. . .
