Parents duty to encourage positive sports participation

As a parent, you want the best for your children: making sure they’re healthy and able to expend their excess energy. The first things that come to mind are, of course, organized sports and sports teams.

The possibilities are endless: soccer, baseball, gymnastics, swimming, volleyball, basketball, you name it! There’s no shortage of choice, and there’s sure to be something for every junior…

But be careful! For the experience to be a positive and enriching one, you also need to get involved in the process and encourage healthy sports participation. Here are a few tips to make the experience unforgettable for parents and children alike.

You’ve found a great activity and your child shares your enthusiasm? That’s great, because fun should be the watchword here. After all, there’s no point in forcing your child to take part in a sporting activity he or she likes more or less. Even if the time slot for the activity in question suits you better than another, even if it’s an activity you’d like to take part in, or even if it requires little management!

A child who’s having fun will want to keep going, so why not sit down with junior and see what might make him happy? Sometimes it’s better to give a little more of your time to get involved in managing a sports team, to make sure our kids are playing a sport they really love. Don’t be afraid to try out different activities, as it’s important for your child to learn different physical skills. Over time, you’ll be able to tell whether, for example, your son prefers team sports or individual sports. All you have to do is listen and observe his evolution.

Listening to your child also means making sure he stays motivated, and showing him how to put in the effort needed to excel. If you don’t feel competent, how can you stay motivated? However, to become competent, you have to put in the effort. You have to encourage your child to maintain a positive attitude by focusing on ways to improve, to keep going even if it’s difficult, and to emphasize the good things that come out of all the effort you put into it.

You also need to be assiduous, manage your schedule well and respect your commitments. Not only will they learn to persevere, which will help them throughout their lives, but they’ll also develop a sense of accomplishment thanks to all their successes.

Listening to your child also means making sure he stays motivated, and showing him how to put in the effort needed to surpass himself. If you don’t feel competent, how can you stay motivated? However, to become competent, you have to put in the effort. You have to encourage your child to maintain a positive attitude by focusing on ways to improve, to keep going even if it’s difficult, and to emphasize the good things that come out of all the effort you put into it.

Your youngest has found the sport that makes him happy, and you’ve made it a point to be at all his games? Wonderful! However, some parents get carried away too easily, forgetting that the athletes they’re cheering on are just kids. Verbal abuse and yelling have no place; the neighborhood arena isn’t the Bell Centre, and the kids on the ice aren’t professional players either. Lead by example and show respect for the coaches, the members of both teams and the referee. Don’t put too much pressure on them, encourage participation and fun, and above all, have fun too!