Bedtime is supposed to be about routines and calming your child. It doesn't always work that way. There were many nights that I sat in the twins room making up stories to soothe them to sleep. The whole time I was wishing I was vegging on the couch watching Grey's. I've decided to incorporate one of my stories into Iggy's. (Now I just have to shorten it to meet their standards ;)
Iggy lay in his bed after his most recent baseball game. He couldn’t go to sleep. All he could think about was the game and how everything went wrong. Iggy tossed and turned because he couldn’t stop being frustrated with himself. If he had only hit the ball further, if he had stepped on the plate instead of on the line Iggy’s team could have won the game. Iggy didn’t know how to stop being frustrated with his own mistakes.
Iggy started to think about Babe Ruth and began to relax. Babe Ruth was the greatest baseball player of all time. Babe Ruth never got frustrated in a game, he was able to hit it out of the park. Iggy was wishing he was Babe Ruth as he drifted off to sleep.
Well after all the stars had come out, Iggy suddenly woke to a knock at his window. Who could it be he thought. Sluggishly Iggy went to the window and looked out. Stunned, Iggy’s mouth dropped open as he saw Babe Ruth in his backyard. The Babe Ruth!
Babe Ruth asked Iggy, “Can you come out here for a minute?”
Too amazed to speak, Iggy slowly crawled out the window and onto the cool summer grass.
“I’ve heard you are getting frustrated on the field.” Said Babe.
Iggy could only nod.
“Baseball is supposed to be fun, you shouldn’t be getting frustrated.”
Iggy immediately defended himself, “I am having fun, I just want to do everything right and when I make a mistake I get mad.”
Babe Ruth looked down at Iggy and smiled, “It sounds like you have a real passion for the game. You remind me a lot of myself at your age. Did you know I used to get frustrated with my own mistakes.”
“You never made mistakes, you’re the best of all time!”said Iggy.
“Oh I made mistakes alright. I wasn’t born a baseball player, I had to learn and practice like everyone else. Talent will only get you so far son.”
“You mean you had to go to practice just like me?” responded Iggy.
“Of course I did. Even when I went pro, I still had to go to practice. Do you want to know a little secret?”
“Yes”
“Even as a pro baseball player, I struck out more times that I made home runs.”
“Really? How come you never got mad at yourself?”
“Oh, I did, but I learned a little trick. I kept a penny in my shoe, and when I got mad, I’d grind my cleat into the ground pretending to smush the penny. That way I could quickly put my focus back on the game without being mad at myself or others on my team.”
“Do you think that will work for me?”
“It might. I brought you a special penny of your own.” Said Babe as he handed over an old penny.
“It’s from 1927! That’s the year you broke the record and were the first person to hit 60 home runs in one season!” said Iggy.
“Yes it is. Hopefully you’ll think of me when you’re out on the field. Remember that everyone makes mistakes. Everyone strikes out, even the Great Bambino.”
“I will Mr. Ruth, I will.”
“You better get on to bed son, it will be morning soon and you have practice today.”
“Thank you!” said Iggy as he climbed back through the window. Iggy knew something magical had happened tonight. He knew he would always carry a penny in his cleat, and a soothing calm washed over him.
