Family is said to be the backbone for any successful young adult. The support, love, care and guidance given to children nowadays play a vital role in shaping their character and preparing them for their life ahead. Understanding the true meaning of this very demanding leadership role called parenting, can better prepare parents to adapt to it.
Proper sport parenting is a concept that can be defined in several different ways. There is no exact recipe for it, but following a few basic guidelines, as well as allowing yourself for some trial and error, can definitely bring you a step closer to fulfilling your children’s needs. It is vital to understand your role, as parents, in the overall experience of your children in sports. You have to understand that you are not there to be a coach, or mentor or facilitator. You are there to support, encourage, motivate and just be part of the process.
This month we are addressing the issue of sport parenting and how parents should strive to encourage and motivate their children, fostering a development culture and environment, whilst promoting good behavior and true sportsmanship. Developing proper habits as a sport parent, creating sport-like conditions at home for academic work and everyday life activities, planning for ways to encourage and motivate your children can have a tremendous impact in shaping the character and future of your athlete-child!
Athena P. Constantinou
E-mail: [email protected]
