Eye on the Ball

Stop living vicariously through your kids and play your own sports already. That’s what adult recreational sports are for. To get all you sports-fanatic parents off the sidelines and onto a field—of your own.

Seriously, if there’s a sport you played as a kid or that you’ve always wanted to play—baseball, softball, soccer, whatever--look for information on adult teams or leagues in your area. Check community boards or local papers, search online or do some good, old-fashioned asking around. If you can’t find a team for a particular sport, start your own.

At any age, joining a team is a win-win situation. You get regular exercise doing something you love, and you get to be part of a team. And if you’re a parent, you get the added bonus of hearing your kids yell instructions at you from the sidelines.