Sport is one of those things that we think from the outside is a fantastic thing to nurture for our children because it allows them to build up a career that is going to help them go places in life. Sport is also beneficial in a number of other ways, such as social skills, intelligence, focus, and so much more. So, as parents, what can we do to help our children get better at sports, whether it’s swinging a golf club or kicking a football around the backyard?

Playing is enough

Some parents like to think about the big picture and push them toward the big leagues. For example, a child that shows an aptitude for golf could very well be put forward to junior golf academies to help them improve their skills, but the first place to begin is just encouraging them to play and making sure that they discover their own passions for the sport first.

As a parent, you are purpose-built to take the fun out of anything, at least from their perspective. This is why it’s got to be fun first and foremost.

Failure is totally okay

We cannot purely think about giving them everything they need to further improve their sports skills. We can put a lot of our time, effort and ultimately, money, on the line. We may think this is nurturing them, but this is going to pile the pressure on our children because they will feel they need to perform each and every time. Ask any athlete about the pressure to perform and they will tell you how crippling it really is.

Failure is okay because it allows them to learn better from their mistakes, but we also have to recognise that there are times when they are not going to be 110% perfect because, reality check, nothing ever is! You, as the parent, are giving them a sense of pressure, but it’s also a pressure they can’t escape from because you are with them all the time. Let them fail to teach them, and arguably, you, a lesson in humility, but also recognise that it’s not the worst thing that will ever happen.

Don’t project onto your child

You may have had dreams of being an athlete in your past, but you may find that because your child is showing similar skills, you feel you need to make up for the mistakes you made and help them get to greatness. Sports is not always a career that sets people up for life. People’s careers could be cut short by injury, and retirement is usually around the age of 30 in most sports.

You need to avoid projecting and thinking they need to do X, Y, and Z because you didn’t. This will take the joy out of everything but instead, think about it as for them. Look at the things that make them feel like they can play and enjoy live sports and use this as an opportunity to bond with you, rather than them breaking away from you.