Olympic Mania - On a Toddler Level

I don’t know about everyone else, but I sure have been having fun watching the Olympics! I give up hours of precious sleep at night to watch some of the events that I love the most: gymnastics and swimming.
I remember watching the Olympics as a kid, but I don’t remember it being a huge event or a big part of my life when the Olympics came around. I think for Stella that will be different.

Stella in her swim cap

Since we try to not have the television on when Stella is awake, I had no intentions of introducing her into the Olympics this year. But I was watching swimming one afternoon when she got home — I was hooked on the event and didn’t turn the television of right away. She asked me what I was watching, and I started to explain the Olympics to her. Since she takes swimming lessons, and she was immediately interested.

Before I knew it, Stella was on the floor “practicing her kicks” while watching the swimming event. She informed me that she was kicking like her swim teacher taught her and doing it “fast” like the women on TV.

A couple days later, she awoke from bed for a drink of water (yes, she is in “that stage”) to find the hubby and me watching women’s gymnastics. She clapped and squealed with delight at the girls jumping and spinning.

It was at this point when I realized that perhaps it's not too soon to make the Olympics a part of Stella’s life. Even at 2 years old, she finds joy and inspiration in what she watches. There is plenty to learn from the Olympics, and it excites me that she is so into it. I have even found some ideas on how to bring the Olympics into our home with arts and crafts.

Stella now tells me she would also like to play volleyball where you “can hit the ball over the net and you can’t miss.” I am sure Misty May and Kerri Walsh only wish it were that easy. They sure make it look like it is. While our Olympians are an inspiration to us all, I glad I didn’t miss the message that their inspiration can never start too early.