5 Tips for Parents of Athletic Children
Having a child is a great challenge that’s full of responsibilities, among which every activity they do stands out. One of these is sports, which you want them to practice and they probably also want to take part in. However, parents of athletic children must take into account a series of tips to accompany their little ones in the best way possible.
Beyond a particular stage, sports activities should be established as positive habits, both in children and in parents. With that in mind, one of your objectives should be to take care of establishing participation in these types of activities.
Take note of these tips for parents of athletic children
When it comes to raising your little ones, you’re likely to feel a little annoyed when you receive certain guidelines regarding how to educate them. However, it doesn’t hurt to take into consideration some tips for parents of athletic children.
The sports environment shouldn’t be an exception or a space where your child feels alone, but quite the opposite. What they need most is your unconditional support, so be there for them!
1. Create positive experiences in sports
When it comes to sports, you’re likely to think that children have no control in this type of environment. However, many times, it’s the parents who lose control, which is a situation that shouldn’t be tolerated.
With that in mind, the goal of this advice for parents of athletic children focuses on counteracting negative experiences and turning them into positive ones. Part of this has to do with your behavior, both in the stands and with team members, whether they’re other players, other parents, or coaches.
2. Be a good role model
Role modeling is much more important than you might think. Your children constantly look up to your behavior and not only seek to emulate it, but keep it among their most important memories. That’s why it’s important for you to practice a sport on a regular basis so that your little one closely observes how it can influence their life.
At the same time, being positive, cheerful, and friendly in their sports environment won’t only push them to have a better predisposition on the field, but will fill them with motivation and confidence.
3. Organize time correctly
If we’re talking about advice for parents of athletic children, the organization of time is fundamental. Children aren’t built only around the sport itself but in all aspects of life.
Help your child to control time and to allocate schedules to do homework, attend training sessions, share with the family, and enjoy free time. Remember that not everything consists of activities or homework, as this can saturate and frustrate them. It’s best to develop a realistic and fair schedule.
4. Eating well is fundamental
Apart from setting aside time to enjoy their life and carry out their responsibilities, athletic children must eat well. Remember that it’s normal for children to consume high amounts of sugar. Therefore, you should control this type of behavior or never lose sight of it.
First of all, it’s important to visit a nutritionist on a regular basis. With the help of a professional, you need to implement a healthy diet in order to provide your child with the energy they need to play sports. It’s not a matter of prohibiting sweets or other unhealthy foods, but rather controlling their consumption. Also, make sure that the majority of their diet consists of nutritious foods.
5. Encourage them in tough times
As a parent, it’s important to maintain a good attitude toward the sport your child’s playing. However, this doesn’t mean that your predisposition should be toward victory or success. Ideally, you should teach your child that in sports, you win some and you lose some and that both outcomes should be accepted. In addition, you can also suggest this type of obstacle as a lesson for future challenges.
Tips for parents of athletic children, don’t do it alone
Your children aren’t the only ones who need support in their athletic process, and, therefore, it’s not a good idea to handle this situation on your own. With that in mind, the best thing to do is to seek support from a professional to address these issues.
Attending psychological sessions will help you get other types of advice to help your children. You may also be able to relieve yourself from the tensions or stress accumulated throughout the week. This help will be important for both you and your family. Don’t lose sight of it.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Intervención psicológica con padres: una alternativa en la búsqueda de logros deportivos. (2010). Pensamiento Psicológico.
- Duarte, R. A. (2018). “La actividad física, el ejercicio y el deporte en niños y adolescentes”. Revista Salud Bosque. https://doi.org/10.18270/rsb.v8i1.2380
- Importancia de los padres y madres en la competición deportiva de sus hijos. (2010). Fuentes. Revista de La Facultad de Ciencias de La Educacion.