I'm That Mom

I swam in high school. Swimming is hard, mostly because nobody gives a shit. Nobody came to just watch meets like they do for baseball or football.
So now that Boy is swimming, we go to the meets and the parents cheer while their kid is swimming until 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place is decided then they stop. Than that little kid who is trying so hard, but is a whole pool length behind everyone else is alone in the pool just trying to finish.
I hate it. Not even his or her parents are cheering like they're afraid to acknowledge that their kid lost the race.

So there I am, standing at the starting blocks because I let myself be talked into volunteering, and I cheer. I cheer loud because it's hard to hear when you're swimming. I hear myself, shouting and cheering and I hate it because not even the coach is cheering but I can't stand the thought that that kid is swimming in silence.

So I've become that mom and I'm sure I am mortifying my 11 year-old but I don't think I care all that much.