We all want what’s best for our children – but what happens when our favourite little ones aren’t performing well at the sport they love?
Focus on practice
If your child loves a certain sport but is struggling on the physical side of things, why not do your best to get in as much practice as you can at home to improve their skills? If your child is happily playing a sport with their friends and doesn’t seem to mind that they aren’t performing as well as everyone else, don’t worry! Teams need a wide variety of people including those who are ‘good’ at the sport but also those who have a positive attitude and cheer others on.
Playing in a sports team is also a great way for children to make friends, have fun and learn the importance of teamwork. The lessons that playing a sport can teach children go far beyond the physical! Try not to stress out if your child isn’t performing as well as the others. Focus on remaining positive and always do your best to encourage them.
Enrol in a positive club
Some sports teams are more competitive than others. If you find that your child struggles with the physical side of things but has a deep love for playing sports, why not sign them up for a club that focuses on inclusivity and fun for everyone? There are lots of different types of clubs out there ranging from ultra-competitive to more relaxed. If you sign your child up to a competitive club and they don’t seem to perform as well as the other children, this can be damaging to their self-esteem and result in them not loving the game anymore.
Clubs that take on a positive approach to sport and work hard to include all children no matter their physical ability are the ones to look out for when signing your child up for a new team. This could be a strong factor in them continuing to play sport and exercising each week instead of abandoning the idea of sport completely!
Children feed off energy
While it’s great for parents to be passionate about the sports their children play, sometimes that passion can turn ugly and lead to negative behaviour that doesn’t help their child. When a parent yells aggressively during a sports match, it makes everyone feel uncomfortable, including their own child. If a parent is overly critical of their child’s performance, this can lead to that child resenting the sport and not wanting to play in the future. After all, all children want to do is make their parents feel proud.
If you’re a parent who gets a bit too hyped up when your children play sports, it’s time to take a deep breath and remember why you signed your child up in the first place – to have fun! When you start feeling yourself becoming overly critical or unreasonable during a game, excuse yourself and remove yourself from the situation. Go for a quick walk or take a bathroom break. Your children feed off of your energy so it’s important to be as positive as you can in order for them to enjoy the game. When parents enjoy the game, this encourages their children too as well.
Lead by example
Lots of people give up hobbies and sports they love because they aren’t the best at them. Do your best to lead by example and show your children that you don’t have to be great at something to enjoy it. Maybe you’re ‘OK’ at guitar but still can’t get the strings right. Play in front of your child and laugh when things don’t go according to plan. When children see their parents being confident in an activity they aren’t necessarily the best in, this shows them an important life lesson. Be it sport, music, school…whatever! Just because you aren’t the best at something doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it.
Happiness is all that matters
If your child isn’t performing as well as the other children on a certain sports team, don’t worry. At The Little Foxes Club, we aim to provide a fun, friendly environment that is conducive to learning new skills. As long as your child is happy, having fun, making friends and new memories, that’s all that matters! You can view our schedule of inclusive classes by following the link below-
