It’s always beneficial to encourage your child to participate in some form of sport. In the technological age of today, it can be hard to peel our children away from their games consoles, smartphones, and the TV, but if they grow a passion for sport at a young age, then they are unlikely to need very much persuasion to go out and participate in it. Sports not only help to keep your child fit and healthy, but also teach them about discipline and teamwork, so there’s no reason not to be supportive and encouraging. Here are some simple ways to help your child develop an interest in sports:
- Be Supportive, Regardless Of The Sport
Sure, you may keep up to date on any and all breaking hockey news, or you might have played football in college, but that doesn’t mean that your child is going to like either of those sports. Lots of parents become fixated on one particular sport and don’t listen to their child’s choice of sport. This is unlikely to encourage your child to participate in the sport of your choice, and may even discourage your child from confiding in you in the future. Instead of being strict and narrow-minded, accept whatever sport your child decides they want to participate in, whether it be hockey, ballet, gymnastics, or boxing.
- Take Them To Games And Shows
If your child seems to like it when you stick a football game on the TV, then why not take them to a game and see if that develops their passion further. This is the same for any sport; All sports are shows someway, whether this is a boxing match, a ballet recital or show, or indeed a hockey game. Seeing their favorite sport performed in front of them will help them to see themselves in their favorite athlete’s shoes, and will give them the push they may need to take the sport up themselves.
- Avoid Being Overbearing
Of course, you should encourage your child no matter what, but some parents can take encouragement to a whole new level and can start to be very pushy and overbearing sports parents. As a parent, you want what’s best for your child, and if you see that they are good at a sport then you may start to push them too hard to participate in it. You may even take over the role as “coach”, going as far as to reprimand them at home if they don’t do well in a match or competition. While this does have the potential to keep your child’s focus, it could also cause them to become stressed, tired, and act out. After all, they are a child and should be able to have fun too.
Getting your child to take up a sport isn’t always the easiest task on the planet, but the first step is definitely the hardest part of the journey. Once your child has an interest in sport, it won’t take long for the interest to develop into a passion, which has the potential to change their life.
