With two kids each involved in some type of sporting activity, we’re at some kind of practice three to four times a week. Which means I have a lot of downtime to People Watch. Sure, I could bring a book and feed my brain something other than Trivia Crack so it doesn’t turn to mush. By why do that when watching the other parents are more interesting than watching my child not pay attention to their coach?

In doing so, I’ve noticed the different kinds of parents that hang out at practice. Sure, the sport might differ from venue to venue, but there tends to be at least someone doing the same thing wherever we go. And if I don’t see anyone else being these types of parents, it usually means that I am being one of them.

Here are the some of the types of parents I see at practice.

The Multitasker. This parent gets shit done. And they’re usually able to do more than one thing at a time better than I can uni-task putting my daughter’s hair in a ponytail. Sometimes they’re catching up on work - breaking out the laptop, phone, briefcase and fax machine to maximize practice time so they can play later with the kids. Or maybe it’s the parent that uses those 60 minutes of alone time to return phone calls, pay bills, write thank you notes and pluck stray hairs. Time is money, folks.

The Sous-Coach. I admit, I have fallen prey to this one MANY times. One of my kids is out on the floor or field, farting around instead of doing what they’ve been asked, and without even hesitation, I’m yelling at them from across the room to get to work. OR, alternately, I’m mouthing suggestions from the sidelines. Seriously, I just need to let the coaches do their job.

The Candy-Crusher. These are the parents who, for 60 glorious minutes can focus on making it past that next level of Candy Crush, beating that opponent on Trivia Crack, or outscoring their mother in Words With Friends. Kid practices can be about as exciting as watching paint dry at times. Thank goodness for apps! Again, guilty as charged.

The Commentator. This parent gives Bob Costas a run for his money. “Oh, look at Suzie’s backstroke!” “Did you see the swing that kid had on him?” “Oops, she’s fallen out off the balance beam.” “Jimmy made a solid pass to Luke there. Team’s looking good this year!” or “Look at that little girl in the corner trying to get her ballet shoes on, how precious.” When I hear these, all I can think is “Could you keep it down? I’m trying to think of a word I can use three ‘E’s’ in” (see above).

The Power Napper. Hands down, these parents know how to utilize their time. The most experienced ones hang out in their car during soccer practice and cozy right up with their seat warmers.

The Socialite. This parent knows everyone - all the coaches, the staff, the guy who comes in and restocks the soda machine. I envy these parents, because they make practice look like a party, while I hide on a bench in the corner trying not to make eye contact with anyone.

The Toddler Wrangler. If you’ve ever had more than one kid, you’ve been this parent at a practice. The younger sibling can be a handful, even if you’ve brought your entire playroom with you. There is just too much excitement in a gym/pool/soccer field/baseball stand to keep little ones still. I’m always jealous of the parents who can do keep up with the younger ones with grace and ease and still fire off a “Great hit, Stevie!” to the one who is practicing.

The Paparazzi. This parent makes sure to document everything. I’m grateful for these folks and have begged them to send me a pic of something I missed. Because as every parent knows, the one time you don’t have your phone out to take a video or photo is the one time your kid finally acquires that skill they’ve been struggling with.

The Chauffer. You rarely see this parent. They’re elusive, like the Yeti or the Lochness Monster, usually because they’ve already left the premises to bring another sibling to a different practice. I am about 93% positive I will be this parent one day, and all I can say is, thank goodness for fuel perks.

The Loving Parent. This is my favorite type, because we’re ALL this type. We’re all at practice to support our children, foster their love of physical activity, and watch them grow. Sure, watching our kids practice can be mind-numbing, frustrating or exciting, but in the end, we’re there to show we care.

But I’m still counting down the days until they get their driving license.

Any of these sound familiar?