The Hypocrisy of Parenting...

It has been awhile...So many things to write about. Do we want to talk about the potential of the upcoming NFL season? There is plenty of time coming for this. What about the tragic (and funny and ridiculous) situation that is USC football right now? Nope, even as much as I like getting all of you southern homers angry at me, I'm not going in this direction yet. What about the mess that is college football and the chaos in the NCAA right now? Nope, not yet...BUT BELIEVE ME THIS IS COMING FAST AND FURIOUS (I just have to have time to make sense of it all). What about the Legend that is turning into Stephen Strasburg? No, I do not want to talk about any of this, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT PARENTING. More specifically, I want to talk about the parents of Bryce Harper. The Harpers allowed their kid to QUIT school at 16 years old & THEY ABSOLUTELY MADE THE RIGHT DECISION AND YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO QUESTION THEIR DECISION!!!

Who is Bryce Harper you ask? I'm really glad you did. Bryce Harper is a KID!!! He is a 17 year old kid, to be exact. I want to take you to the Harper living room, young Bryce Harper sits his parents down and tells them "I want to quit school and get my GED." I'm going to play professional baseball and I want to quit school, get a GED, and go play ball at a junior college so I can get drafted earlier to the Major Leagues. Mr. and Mrs. Harper made the only possible decision they could make---"Let's do it." I AM IN 100% AGREEMENT WITH THE HARPER'S AND THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT WITH WHAT THEY DID!!!

I know what you are thinking, the percent of people who makes the majors is so few, you have to put education before sports. What if he gets hurt? What if he does not make it? What if? What if? What if? Well let me present a what if to you...What if he gets hurt pitching a meaningless 34 - 1 game (an actual score of a game he pitched as a SOPHOMORE)? If this happens, his parents CRAZY "you have to think about your education" mentality, would have cost this kid a chance to live his dream.

Please if you are reading this, do not tell your kid to quit school and go pursue baseball. PUT EDUCATION FIRST!!! However, there will come a time where as an ADULT you will need to come to some realizations. We all have to do it with our children. Not all of our children are going to Yale. They are not all going to be Doctors, Lawyers, or Rocket Scientists. Some of our children are not going to college. Let's get ready for that. With that being said, I believe the Harper's looked at young Bryce, and realized the same thing that the parents of Lebron James, Tiger Woods, and Wayne Gretzky's parents all realized and that is...My kid is going to be a Professional Athlete. and before you start, the Harper's appear to be in a good financial position, this is not the story of some kid coming from the projects so he can buy momma a house and help pops pay his parole officer. This is a parent looking at their child and saying what do we truly believe is in the best interest of my child? Well, let's look at Bryce from an athletic stand point...

As a Sophomore, he throws a 96 mile an hour fastball, can throw base stealer's out from his knees, and hit a ball 517 feet. he plays catcher, 3rd base, and pitcher. There is talk about moving him to the outfield to help him reach the majors at a faster rate.

This kid was NEVER going to college. His parents are doing him a service by letting him go to junior college to play ball. As a parent, our job is to prepare our children for life as an adult. That means there are many lessons we must teach them: Teach them to Love the Lord, be honest, be a good person, work hard, and MOST OF ALL prepare them for life after school. You owe it to your child to put them in the best possible situation to provide for their family. After all, that is what we go to school for, to help prepare us for life and a career. It sounds like the Harper's did this by allowing Bryce to quit school and get his GED. Congratulations Harper's, despite the pressure, you made the right decision.

What do you think?

Until Next Time...

BTW...The Washington Nationals selected Bryce Harper with the 1st pick in the MLB Draft this past Wednesday. Last years top pick, Stephen Strasburg, signed for $15.1 million---ALL GUARANTEED. Looks Like The Harper's made the right decision.