Football, Tennis, Golf, GAA-all sports

Pushing Kids in Sport: How Much Is Too Much

      "I believe you should push your child. Not only is it okay, it is your right, responsibility and your absolute moral imperative as a parent," says leading sports psychologist Dr Jim Taylor.

Parents want the best for their children. Why is it that loving parents sometimes feel the need to push – to direct the child to do something they don't want to do?"I want to do everything I can to help my 10-year old become the next  Rory McIlroy, Lionel Messi,Serena Williams, Colm Cooper "

Achieving this so-called "parental" goal is dependent on four actions:
1. The child has to take up sport, not as a sport but as a career.
2. The child has to put in the necessary practice hours.
3. The parent is able to provide the financial support necessary to reach the goal.
4. The parent is able to provide the time and emotional support necessary to reach the goal.

Clearly, 50 percent of the actions required to accomplish this goal successfully is dependent upon the child. If the child does not wholeheartedly embrace his end of the deal the outcome-based parental goal is suddenly no longer achievable, leaving the parent bewildered and frustrated.

Instead, revise the parental goal to something more specific and directly controllable.

For instance, "I will provide the financial help to pursue serious sports development."

Certainly setting such a goal does not preclude a parent from trying to pique the child's interest in sports or actively encouraging him to take up serious sports development. The process-based parental goal simply clarifies that the parent plays a supportive role as far as sports development is concerned.

Process-based goals that a sports parent can set for himself include:
♦ Highlight the value of sport as a lifetime sport for fun, fitness, and skill development.
♦ Provide necessary time and financial and emotional support.
♦ Use sport as a vehicle to teach good attitude, teamwork, discipline, and character.

Choose a parental goal that will offer you a sense of accomplishment, whether your child ultimately decides to take up tennis, soccer, law, or medicine.

All in sport
Keith Kattan, Author

Earn the Right to Play™