Encouraging and supporting your child through sport will help them to enjoy it and to be successful.
Set Goals
This is critical for an athletes success. Setting, reaching and evaluating goals can help to focus children in their chosen sport, as well as in other aspects of their life. Goals can range from making new friends, learn to run faster, or improving performance.
Remember that goals shouldn’t become expectations, as they could start to weigh young people down.
Be a Positive Role Model
Being physically active yourself is a great way to encourage children to follow in your footsteps. This can also be seen in teamwork, by showing your child that you do it, it will influence them to do the same. Lead with your actions.
Show Your Interest and Support
Practising your child’s sport with them is a great way to help develop their skills and help them to be motivated, even if you’re not a pro in the sport yourself. Support them in their matches and lessons if possible, cheering from the sideline can have an extremely positive effect on children's esteem.
Balance is Key - Not Pressure
Ensuring balance in your child’s life will help to encourage children to feel supported and pursue the things they have an interest in. Being supportive is great, but recognise the line between encouraging and pushy. As well as school work and other studies, children must have free time and quality time with friends and family.
Encouraging your child to be active and get involved in sports is great for their self esteem and provides them with healthy habits for life, as well as vital life skills. These could be sports activites at School, home or in the School holidays.
