7 Keys to Being the Best Swim Parent You Can Be
7 Keys to Being the Best Swim Parent You Can Be
As the weather cools and the leaves change colors, kids and parents all over the country are back in the full swing of school and practice routines. Youth athletics can be a very time consuming, stressful, and expensive endeavor. Parents are an essential component in the success of a child-athlete, but they can also be a toxic element. The fine line that parents walk between involvement and respectful distance can be difficult to navigate. Done well, parents of athletes can help their children have fun, bolster esteem, and have valuable learning opportunities which will serve them well in life. Done poorly, parents of athletes can inadvertently end up damaging their relationship with the child, cause low self-esteem, and deter the child from developing a lifelong enjoyment of physical activity or sports.
Contrary to some beliefs, being an overbearing sport parent is unlikely to lead to a successful and motivated athlete. A very small percentage of children participating in sports will receive college scholarships, go to the Olympics, or play a sport professionally. Ask most parents and they will say that their priority is to raise a well-adjusted, resilient, healthy, and happy child. Here are 7 of the best approaches to being a sport parent that will help accomplish this goal while at the same time encourage your child to achieve as an athlete.
