If you’d like to pass on your love of sports to your kids, there are a number of things you can try. When it comes to getting kids interested in a specific activity or subject, you need to be gentle in your approach. You don’t want to force your kids into doing something they don’t really want to do, and they should enthusiastically want to pursue this interest. Your child may have their own interests and hobbies that they would prefer to focus on, and that’s fine. All children should be encouraged to follow their interests and passions, so that they can grow up knowing exactly who they are and the difference they want to make in the world. However, if you want to give your child the opportunity to get into sports and potentially safeguard their health for life, take a look at the following pointers.
- Lead By Example
Leading by example is one of the most important things you can do as a parent. You can tell your kids how to behave, for example, not to shout, but if you’re constantly shouting they will copy you. Whether you realize it or not, your kids are watching you and paying attention. When you lead by example, they will be far more likely to ask you questions, and potentially ask to try the sport themselves off their own back. Make time for your chosen sport, look after your health, and show them how wonderful it can be to have a sport as a hobby.
- Do Sports Together
Partaking in sports together, as a family, can be an amazing way to stay healthy, bond, and instill healthy habits and hobbies into your children. Even a simple game in the garden together can make sports fun and it’s your opportunity to teach them a thing or two. Kids will likely cherish these memories, as they will love the quality time you enjoyed together. It also helps them to avoid spending too much time in front of the TV or computer, and gets them some fresh air.
- Let Them Try Out Different Sports
Don’t pick just one sport for your child early on. You may want them to fall in love with your chosen sport, but that may not be their natural inclination. This doesn’t mean they won’t want to try it in the future, or even come back to it at some point. However, encouraging them to try different sports based on what they are interested in and what they would actually like to try will benefit them tenfold. They get to explore new terrain, figuring out what sort of sports they like and what sort of sports they don’t. They also don’t feel under pressure to continue with a sport that they may not like all that much. Try not to make it a big deal when they are young, as kids are often terrified of disappointing their parents. Quitting a sport doesn’t make them a failure: it means they are not wasting time in finding the sport they’d like to stick to.
- Stay Positive
Being a positive parent and providing positive reinforcement is key. This isn’t about telling your kids that they are natural football players and amazing at everything they do, though. This is about praising them for the effort they are putting in, and being specific about the improvements they are making. Kids need to see early on that effort = improvement. If they believe they should be ‘naturals’ at things, they will grow up reluctant to put too much effort into anything if they are not immediately good at it. Sure, some people are born with talent, but that doesn’t mean all hope is lost if your child doesn’t display any right away. With commitment and determination, your child can be whatever they want to be. Your attitude towards them while they try can make a huge difference to their overall mindset and results. Try not to push your own limiting beliefs onto your children, even if you think you’re being ‘realistic’. Don’t show your disappointment if they don’t get something right away, or if they don’t start winning games at school automatically. If they feel like they are letting you down, they will eventually want to quit. Being a supportive, positive parent will help them to feel safe and will make them more likely to try new things in the future, in spite of the fact they may fail. In fact, failure should be encouraged! It’s a fantastic learning curve and many of the greats failed before they succeeded. This is a far better lesson to pass on to your kids.
- Don’t Force Anything
Don’t force your kids to do things that they don’t want to do. While committing to practicing a sport can take up a lot of their free time, you don’t want it to feel like a job for them. Be realistic about how much they should be practicing/playing and how much downtime they need. Even if your child is enthusiastic about their practice, they will need to take recovery periods to avoid injury and ensure they aren’t overdoing it. A child can quickly burn out and lose their enthusiasm if they feel like they are doing too much. Don’t worry about them being put on the bench for having some time to rest. They are young, and they really do have plenty of time to practice and get better. Rest and recovery is all a part of the process.
- Accept The Sport They Want To Focus On
Eventually, your child may tell you that they want to focus on a specific sport. If you’ve let them experiment with different sports, they will have a much better idea of what they prefer to do. Accept the sport they want to focus on and support them. So many parents express frustration and disappointment with kids who don’t want to follow in their footsteps, but your child is not a mini version of you. They should be encouraged to be their own authentic selves, and they will thrive when you allow them to focus on the things they are passionate about.
- Watch Sports Together
Watching sports together can help to inspire your children, and is another great bonding activity. Whether you watch the NHL season highlights together at home with popcorn, or you go to games and soak in the electric atmosphere, this is an amazing way to get your child interested and passionate in various games. Now, while sports can be a sensitive topic for some, it’s a good idea to try not to scream and shout as you watch them. It’s totally fine to be enthusiastic, sing, and even express disappointment, but if you’re going to keep sports a positive and healthy outlet for your child, you should do your best to keep your emotions in check. There are many angry sportsmen out there who hate it and lash out when things don’t go their way, and the last thing you want is for your child to become one of them. Being passionate is great, but your child needs to understand that losing or missing is not the end of the world.
- Focus On Helping Them To Cultivate A Healthy Lifestyle
Along with everything else, helping your child to cultivate a healthy lifestyle will improve their games, and could help them to become enthusiastic about trying sports in the future. Eat balanced diets, go on walks together, encourage regular bedtimes, and make sure they know how to practice self care. Your kids are never too young to understand the importance of keeping their stress levels at bay and paying attention to their bodies!