Nigel. My son is in 8th grade. My daughter is in 6th grade. My other sons are 6 and 4. My son does wrestle in junior high. I go to support my kids since that is what a parent does. I do enjoy watching my sons wrestle. But like everyother parents, the every weekend tournaments that last all day take their toll.

What would I do if I wasn't at the tournament: play baseball/catch/tag/football, go on bike trips, see grandparents, paint and draw, watch my daughter play basketball, play games, play with my kids with their own toys, clean house (yes with my kids), talk to them, watch a comedy with them, work on the house (my son has learned a lot from this), read a book, ect.

Life is not just wrestling.

What do I do at tournaments, watch matches to make sure I don't miss the match, check brackets, eat junk food that is overpriced, chase after the little ones, explain again to my daughter why she has to be there, and chase after my kids once again. And yes, three hours does make a difference. That is more than I can get on the weeknights.

I understand that no arguing will convince you. You will always stand by your reasons without truly knowing what a parent is. (watching your nieces and nephew is not the same). All I can say is just be careful of what you say......it can someday come back and bite you.