Health OR Happiness?

Oh my....what a dreadful choice, but yesterday, I had to make that choice for Carter.

I picked happiness.

Our school has a basketball league that plays games against other kids in our county.  This league includes kids from 2nd grade to 6th grade.  Since my boys are obsessed with all things sports, they are always excited about their first opportunity to play a new sport.  Our current sports repertoire for this year includes 3 basketball teams, 3 baseball teams, one track participant, one soccer team, and one football team.  We basically live at gymnasiums and fields.

This year, Carter wasn't yet technically old enough to be a part of the basketball team, since the league begins at 2nd grade.  Except that the league has an exception.  If there is a team that is lacking in enough players, then a younger child is allowed to move up.  Our 2nd grade team only had a couple of players, so a couple of the 'little brothers' were asked to play to fill the team.

Carter was ecstatic with this news. 

He found out that he could play basketball a year earlier and immediately went to his room to dig up some shoes that looked like basketball shoes and some clothes that resembled a uniform.  He was thrilled for his first practice and was even more pumped about his upcoming first game.

Unfortunately, the day before his very first game, Carter came down with a case of strep. 

Argh!

He woke up with a fever, headache, stomach ache and sore throat.

We spent the morning at the doctor's office and pharmacy.  Then we spent the afternoon snuggling and watching television.

By the evening his fever had gone and he was eating a little bit. 

Before bedtime he asked,

"I am gonna get to play in my first basketball game tomorrow, right?"

I knew that he probably shouldn't play, but I also knew that if he felt better by morning, that I would totally consider it.

Carter slept well and woke up with no fever, but feeling draggy.  He promised that he felt better and he really, really wanted to play.  I knew he was lying about feeling better.

I caved.

I couldn't imagine telling him that he couldn't play.  He would just be so sad to miss it.

I pumped him full of the magic kid drug...aka Ibuprofen.....and we set off for the gym.

Perhaps, we made the wrong decision, because he wasn't very much help to his team.  

The first whole half he pretty much just stood around and looked dazed and indifferent.....like this.....

Poor kid.

I'm a loser.

I sent him out on the court to participate in a game that requires lots and lots of endurance and vigor.

He had neither.

Until...I gave him that second dose of the magic mood enhancing drug for kids....ibuprofen....which helped.

He started flailing his arms in defense to prevent the other team from scoring or passing the ball.

Even though he wasn't the star of the team...by any stretch of the imagination.....he managed to get through it.

He was happy that he got to play in his first game.

And luckily, his health has returned today.....even without the magic drug.

Today I have a happy AND healthy kid....who is looking forward to his next game.

Oh, and PS.....my middle kiddo, Sawyer (#34), had his first game of the season yesterday, too.

His team was awesome!

Sawyer was the king of the fast break yesterday.  He had a bazillion steals.

If he had hit all his fast break shots, we would've really raised some eyebrows with a super high score.

Except, most of our shots were missed.

So we won, but the score was only 10 to 1.

Still, I would call it a successful day.

Oh, and P.P.S.....

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