Welcome to youth baseball! Have a seat in your camping chair and buckle up. It's about to get real. Long-time baseball mom Heather Dirck is here with tips from the trenches in this light, fun, and helpful little guide. Whether you're signing up for your first tee-ball team or making the jump to competitive travel ball, How to Be a Baseball Mom helps you feel prepared with: A player gear list and expected costs Annual planning and scheduling tips A complete game day guide with packing lists, etiquette, dealing with common injuries, and other pointers What just happened on the field and why: Baseball 101 Defining the jargon Budgeting tools and fundraising ideas (spoiler alert: competitive baseball can be stupid expensive) Laundry tips for the (sigh) *white* pants: how to clean them... and why you should teach your kid to do it How to find the right team, including: Defining divisions (and all those A's) Helping your player choose their path Sniffing out and navigating tryouts Team travel A peek over the fence at high school, college, and beyond Baseball movie nights, "recipe" ideas, and more It's easier to settle in and enjoy the show once we have our ducks in a row. Let's do this. Welcome to the team!