As a parent, so long as it does no harm to them or their ability to do well in school and socially, you should support any passions that your child brings home with them. For some kids, that can involve training in and playing sports, including with a team that they join at school. There are a whole host of benefits to being involved with sports, physically, mentally, and emotionally, that you should embrace, and here are a few of the ways that you can do just that.
Be their number-one supporter
Whether your kid is killing it in their sport and loving every moment, or they're having a rough time or not doing so hot, your support should stay solid. It's understandable to not want to see your child going through a tough time, especially if they lose, but you should avoid making your disappointment a little too clear to them. Be their cheerleader as long as they want to stay involved in sports.
Focus on their personal growth, not just winning or losing:
Your child is, naturally, going to want to win, and all the practice and messaging they get from their coach is going to be primarily aimed at helping them do that. However, while winning is awesome, losing can be a good motivator too. That said, try not to focus too much on whether your child wins or loses, make every part of their sporting career a teachable moment so that they have a better chance of improving personally from it. Take a moment to appreciate the effort they're putting in.
Ensure that they have the supplies that they need
Your child is going to need a little financial support to help them stick with the sport that they have chosen, as well, and you had better be equipped to help with that. Whether it’s just making sure that they get everything they need personally for it, or even working with the school team to provide resources they need, like online designed custom rugby kits. Make sure that you budget a little aside to help your child do their best in their sporting endeavours, or you can end up undermining their attempts to get into it.
Help them find time and a place to practice
If your kid is serious about their sport, they'll start scheduling their life around it. That might mean early morning trips to the field or rearranging your day to drive them around. You could pitch in by setting up cool stuff like basketball hoops in the backyard, but keep your budget in mind. You can also make sure that you help them stay active, finding fun and athletic things to do in the summer, especially when they’re out of school and not sticking to their practice routine.
Before you pour a ton of time and money into your kid's new sport, make sure they're sticking with it. Give it a few months to see if they're committed, then decide if you're ready to commit too.
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