How to Encourage Your Child to Do Well in Sports

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Have meaningful conversations and understand your child.

   Knowing how your child thinks and feels is key to offering them encouragement.
   
   Whether you’re motivating them to practice a sport or to do homework, it’s important to know their strengths, weaknesses, habits, and desires.Show your child that you respect how they think and what they want, and that you want to take the time to listen to how they feel.
   
   Ask them what, if any, sports they’d like to play and what expectations they have.
   
   Try to understand what they want to get out of any activity.
   
   Your child might say, “I want to be the best basketball player that ever played the game,” and your reaction should certainly be positive.
   
   While it’s best avoid knocking them down by telling them their goals are impossible, try to emphasize how working hard for something is a good thing in itself.
   
   Tell them that the effort they put in and the fun they have while doing so is valuable just for their own sake.
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   Step 2: Understand the stresses and challenges of both team and individual sports.

   Team sports can involve unique social pressures, especially when just starting a sport or joining a new team.
   
   While some children enjoy being part of a team, having to do an activity in front of people, especially strangers, can be daunting or embarrassing for others.In individual sports, a child can often become their own worst critic, and can come to believe that their personal performance will determine what their parents or coach thinks of them.Getting to know your child will help you understand whether they’re more comfortable with team or individual activities.
   
   Understanding the specific pressures associated with each can help you turn negative stressors into positive motivations.
   
   For example, if your child is afraid of looking like they’re not good at something in front of their team, encourage them to work hard and practice to master that skill or ability.Whether the pressure involves impressive teammates or beating their own best time, challenge them to perform to their best ability, but remind them that sometimes you can work hard at something for a long time and still not master it., Being physically active yourself is the most direct way of encouraging your child to value practicing a sport and being active in general.
   
   You’re your child that everyone, from kids to adults, has to keep doing something over and over again in order to become successful.
   
   In addition to leading with your actions, explain how every muscle and every skill needs to be exercised., You don’t need to be a pro in order to help them stay motivated to develop their own skills.
   
   Practice together whenever you can.
   
   Spend time on the weekends together practicing, or schedule a few times during week.
   
   Go and see games together.
   
   Look for professional, college, high school, or whatever level of competition is available in your town. , Some coaches prefer that kids specialize in a sport early, but it’s best to let your child try out a number of different activities, even into their teenage years.
   
   If they enjoy being active, sampling a variety will help them get to know themselves, what they like, and what their best abilities are.In addition to finding out what they’re good at, trying out different sports is also healthier, typically exercises different muscle groups, and puts them at a lesser risk of injury.You might also try checking in regularly with your child to see if they still enjoy the sport.
   
   Try asking questions like, "How's basketball going?" "Do you still have fun at the games?" and "Do you still like your teammates and coach?" If your child says they are not enjoying the sport any more, then you might suggest trying something new once the season is over.
   
   Make sure that you also express acceptance if your child just doesn't like the sport.
   
   For example, you might say something like, "That's okay.
   
   There are some sports that I don't like too.
   
   You'll find your thing!"
   
   While it’s great to encourage your child to participate in several different sports and to spend a lot of time practicing, it’s important to remain balanced.
   
   Keep an eye on how much time they spend practicing or how much energy they put into one thing.
   
   Remember, school, homework, free time with friends, personal or down time at home, and quality time with family are just as important as practicing for a big game.Help your child balance their schedule and divide time properly, and remind them that practicing too hard can result in injury, becoming overtired, or losing interest in an activity.
   
   Avoid putting too much pressure on your child to practice.
   
   Keep them engaged with positive motivation, by setting a good example, by practicing with them, and by being a great cheerleader, but don’t treat any activity as a life or death situation.
   
   Avoid treating practice like it’s a chore.
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   Step 3: Be a positive role model by being physically active.

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   Step 4: Show your interest in the sport or sports your child plays.

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   Step 5: Encourage your child to try out several different sports.

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   Step 6: Try not to overdo it or put on too much pressure.

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