Several months ago my husband and I were given the opportunity to take our children to a minor league baseball game. We were all so excited to attend our first game.

We have six children so any type of outing is quite a production. We made our way through the stadium and finally found our seats. We only lost one child and only for a brief moment, so I call that a win.

During the game a foul ball came flying toward us. A man sitting a few rows down tipped the ball and my 9-year-old son caught it.

My husband was thrilled! My boy was ecstatic. I was not. “Doesn’t the ball belong to the man who almost caught it? He did touch it.” I asked my husband. “He has a young son with him, shouldn’t he get the ball?”

My husband looked at me with that “you have got to be kidding me” expression I see often. But I wasn’t kidding. I was serious. And I made my boy give the ball to the man.

We all left a bit bummed and unsure if the right decision was made. Thanks to the internet we quickly learned there are rules of etiquette when it comes to foul balls.

And the rules said my son should have kept the ball.

I failed. I made a mistake. I let my boy down.

In an effort to show the world what a sweet little gentleman my boy was, I made the wrong choice.

He will forever remember the time he caught the foul ball — and his mom made him give it back.

I know it is just a silly thing in the grand scheme of life but it reminds me to be more careful about considering how my children may feel about a decision I make when it involves them directly.

And if all else fails, ask the internet. Preferably before you give the ball back.

***For more encouragement and real life parenting stories be sure to follow Sprinkles In My Closet with Jenn Kish on Facebook.***

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