One of the best ways to teach children important life lessons is through sports. Team sports can encourage them to develop the communication and teamwork skills they’ll need in school and the professional world.
As a parent, your attitude and support can make the difference in a child’s desire to play and improve in their desired sport.
Why is it important?
Healthy parent participation is important for your child’s confidence. Whenever they’re at a game or at practice, your presence can calm them down, and provide the encouragement they need.
Positive parent involvement in sports can help in so many ways:
- It can help develop a lifelong commitment to sports and an active lifestyle
- Encourages them to learn about winning and losing
- Encourages them to turn to sports as a stress buster and improve their decision-making skills in real life
- Helps them feel secure about themselves and to never give up
What is good and bad parent participation?
Good parent participation is encouraging your child to try out different sports, turning up at their events, giving them the opportunity to make friends and enjoy their childhood.
When it comes to bad parent participation, the most common factor is admonishing or shouting at the child when he/she makes a mistake. Other examples include forcing them to take up a sport they don’t like.
What can coaches do to improve this?
Coaches can have one-on-one sessions with parents to brief them on the child’s strengths and weaknesses. They can also encourage parents to keep building their child’s confidence through encouragement and regular practice.
Thus, healthy parent participation in their children’s sports can have long-term benefits and lead to more positive outcomes.