Sports Parenting

When kids are so focused on winning that it takes them up to a day to recover from a loss, they likely link their self-worth or self-esteem to winning. That’s not the best scenario. When sports kids lose a game, their self-esteem suffers. Kids should not link their self-esteem with winning. Kids’
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Young athletes play their best when they feel confident and can learn from their mistakes. After a game, follow these tips: (1) It’s important to be positive after the game. Both coaches and parents can find one or two positive things to say about how the kids played. (2) Be clear that your
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At Kids’ Sports Psychology, we’ve found that kids with high expectations--whether these expectations come from parents or from the kids themselves--are more likely to get angry. If they can’t achieve their own high standards, they get frustrated and angry rather quickly. To help kids with high
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Do your young athletes seek approval from their peers and coaches in order to feel confident about their abilities in sports? This is a common mental game challenge for young athletes! Sports parents must understand that athletes who need others to feel confident often become anxious or fear failing
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You should be very careful about how you give your athletes feedback. If you criticize them too much, they’ll avoid making mistakes. That means they’ll start playing tentatively and will avoid taking risks. They’ll play scared. That’s not a good recipe for learning and growing! What’s more, be
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It’s important for both you and your young athletes to realize there’s a positive side to failing, facing adversity, or making mistakes. Defeat can sometimes motivate young athletes to try harder, to look at what they’re doing, and think about what needs improving. Defeat gives kids the
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