How To Help Your Child Succeed In Sports
There is often a very fine line between encouraging your child to do well in sports and being the dreaded ‘pushy parent’ with unrealistic expectations. It’s vital that we as parents find a healthy way to motivate and support our children in their sporting adventures so that they can really benefit from it. Read below for my top tips on helping your little ones flourish in sports.
Let them choose their sport
Encouraging your children to explore their own interests from an early age is important. Just because you loved gymnastics when you were younger, doesn’t necessarily mean your son or daughter will too. Being a child is all about discovering who you are and what you like. Yes, that might mean you end up forking out for your little ones to experiment with dancing and judo before they realise their real passion lies in football – but isn’t that all part of the fun of being a parent?
Buy the right equipment
Once your child has found their interest, you can help them succeed further by purchasing starter equipment from a young age, such as kids football goals or a trampoline for your back garden. This shows them that you care about their hobby and allows them to practice the sport from the comfort of their home. You can even play with them, improving your relationship whilst they develop their skills.
Emphasise the importance of balance
It’s crucial that your child understands the importance of maintaining a healthy balance over all aspects of their life, including school, friends, family and their hobbies. If you push them to be too involved in their sport you may risk them becoming overwhelmed or bored with it, or perhaps neglecting other important areas, such as their ability to succeed in school and build solid friendships with others.
Promote positive attitudes
Teaching your child about the importance of good sportsmanship and healthy competition is important – nobody likes a sore loser just as much as someone who is horribly competitive. Instilling a constructive mind set from an early age will certainly have a positive impact on other areas of your child’s life, from their school grades to their relationships with others.
So, if they didn’t win a game, that’s ok. Talk them through the steps they can take to improve and perhaps do better next time. And remember, focus on the positives – even the best athletes in the world have their bad days!
