The September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon are simply beyond words. I do know that everyone has his or her own way of dealing with tragedy and that the horror of the tragedy will affect us all for years to come. The loss of loved ones and fellow citizens have all of us deeply saddened.

As parents, aunts, uncles and other family members, we are most concerned with the children who have so many questions. Listed below are some links to Internet sites that I hope will provide you with answers to these questions; ones that, frankly, many of us will never have the words or answers for. The one question that seems to be flooding our e-mail boxes is simply, "Is it right to allow my child to continue to practice or play in scheduled games when the major leagues have cancelled their games?" Or: "The coach will not cancel the game or scrimmage and I think it is wrong. What should I do?"

I think each family needs to evaluate what is right for their own family. Personally, I think continuing to be involved in sports will be good for our children. Sports will be an escape for a few hours from the difficult situation that faces our country. This escape will offer children a sense of normalcy and give adults a chance to bond with family and friends during games and scrimmages, not to mention the release from the tension that all of our bodies need.

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Sports express our best selves and the values we cherish as Americans. Consider what is truly great about our nation and our people: the sense of fair play, responsibility, respect and pride. These are also some of the values of sports.

For the families who choose to skip games and practices, the coach needs to respect this decision as well. I encourage you to fill the void of organized sports with a family bike ride, long walk or hike. Now may be a good time to find a family activity that you have never pursued.

Now that my boys are seniors in high school I will always remember and cherish the times that we took autumn hikes, bike rides and long walks, just as much as the time Hunter scored his first soccer hat trick, Spencer sacked the quarterback three times in one game, and the goal that Taylor scored on a "header" on the soccer field. Now, instead of moving through their senior year feeling sad that this will be the last soccer, football or lacrosse game, I am looking forward to endless hikes and bike trips in new and exciting places. Because our family has always cherished the time to schedule in family playtime before the endless sports team time this will always be natural.

We can all stand strong for all of the children. Watch their faces with a new understanding as we sing the national anthem before the start of games. We can also use this time to encourage what is good in sport and in life. Have fun together and respect each family's decision to participate or to take a Saturday off from organized sports as a family day.

If you are interested in helping, contact the American Red Cross online or Helping.org. For a comprehensive article on Helping Your Children Cope with the News of Reported Terrorist Attacks, visit our friends at drspock.com

God Bless each of you, your families and our country,

Brooke deLench
President/Editor-In-Chief

Another thought: When I coached I always made sure that each child took a pre-planned family day without being penalized for missing a game. The time may be ripe for adopting such a "free day" into your town's sports program. Ten to twelve weeks of mandatory weekend games doesn't allow for any days off to be a family.

Read more about this subject in Home Team Advantage: The Critical Role of Mothers in Youth Sports (Harper Collins) by Brooke de Lench. Brooke is also the founder and editor-in-chief of MomsTeam.com.

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Article Updated: August 25, 2007

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