Sometimes the only way to get through the shit, is to find the humor in the situation. As a hockey parent I have had my fair share of melt downs over the last decade, believe me. I have had to race back home to pick up gear or jerseys that were left behind, dropping 1000's of F-bombs every single mile. I have waited on the side of the highway for the owner of the sport shop to deliver me skates I left to get sharpened at the store and forgot to pick up after work. I have also had to drive back almost 30 km when a frantic mom called me that she had one of son's teammate's skates in her van and I had all the kids with me. I have bought countless water bottles and mouth guards on the fly while traveling and my kids have had to borrow gear because they forgot something and we are too far from anywhere to get it. I actually have pictures of my youngest at a skate in August wearing his summer shorts over his jock because he forgot to check his bag and his pants were left in the basement. We all do it, not just hockey kids or hockey parents, this is life, whether your kid is in dance, baseball or bowling, we all forget shit. Sometimes a few (hundred) F-bombs and a good cry is all you need to make you feel better before you get back to the rink like the fucking super hero you are just in the nick of time. I have comprised a nice little list of the top 10 things my hockey kids have forgotten over the years. This is only the top 10, lol, I could have gone on.
Number 1, the fucking stick. It's funny that kids place such a value on having the latest and greatest most overpriced twig in the store then only realize when they get to the rink it is not in the car. They value sticks like a status symbol and yet this is the one item I have driven back for the most.
Number 2, their jersey. Are you kidding me? I washed it and dried it and left it on top of their hockey bag and it was not even put in the bag prior to transport. This one is one I have seen often as well. We once arrived at an away game almost 2 hours from here and had the biggest surprise when our kids skated out with the home team's away jerseys on. The coach kept all the jerseys, I assume because he was sick of this happening so many times over the years. I am pretty sure after that he double checks before he leaves home. A hard but funny lesson.
Number 3, the water bottle. Good thing these are cheap. And if you can't find one, most rinks have vending machines with the squirt top gator-aid in it as a back up. Handy for sure.
Number 4, the mouth guard. When the kids were small I used to always have extras in the bag of cheaper ones because someone on the team always forgot one. Reality is they spend more time chewing on them then wearing them.
Number 5, dryland gear. I swear, every time I am watching different teams warming up pre-game I see at least 1 kid wearing their dress shoes. Makes me feel a little better it's not just my kid.
Number 6, neck guards. A small but crucial piece of equipment that often gets left behind on basement floors after drying out equipment.
Number 7, skates. Ugh I hate this one. We live in a rural area, so to sharpen skates I run on my lunch break and drop them at the shop not far from my work and then swing by on the way home to grab them. They usually do it while I wait because more than once I have forgotten them and they have been more then kind to meet me on the highway to get back to me so the boys won't be late for their game. Even if you don't forget the skates, many times we forgotten to get them sharpened in the first place which is almost as bad to the kid wearing them.
Number 8, gloves. Again, F$%K. Gloves are my nemesis, it is never both, it is always one. And it is always due to negligence on the child's part of loading his gear prior to the game without me checking it. Insert more F-bombs here.
Number 9, the jock. I have a goalie and a player. Both are boys. For the love of all things holy, protect the family jewels.
And last but not least, number 10. The helmet. Not something many people keep an extra one in their car. My son has had to borrow a helmet after leaving his at the ODR. No big deal right? I had to ask a parent from the opposing team because we were too far out of town and she had a younger son playing the game before our game. Again, hard lesson. Wearing someone else's too small and sweaty helmet after they wore it is gross. I did rinse it out in the sink but it's the thought that creeps me out.
So please remember to keep in mind that most of these disastrous tales will one day become epic dinner time stories that begin with, "hey mom, remember that time in Brandon when I forgot my stick....." Only you will get to decide on how that story ends. Make sure to give yourself grace and find the humor, it will make a better story in the end.