Kids and Sport
Kids play sport for lots of reasons – fun, mateship, socialisation, challenge, competition and achievement. So, it is important to encourage your child to play sports for the fun, not just winning. Be positive at competitions. If you are, your children mostly likely will too.
Look for the successes your child makes in the game and focus on them more than on the final score. It is important to help your child learn how to win and lose, as they don’t need to be champions.
So here are a few tips to help you support and teach your child how to learn to win OR lose well and be an actively engaged father on weekends regardless of what sport they choose to play.
- Encourage your child to congratulate their opponent when they lose, and not boast when they win.
- Talk about the game afterwards and help your child to see where they did well and areas where perhaps they could have done better.
- Encourage your child to do their best at all times.
- Recognise good sportsmanship in your child and others.
Most importantly, don’t be the ugly parent at your child’s events – cheer good play by both sides and don’t abuse players or referees.
We really encourage dads to learn to keep their emotions in check and be good mentors – nothing like being the ugly loud voice!
Through sport you can make lifelong friends, at junior and senior school, through to your adult life like I did. I was not a brilliant player, just average, but it was the mateship we developed that has served us through the years.
We want to foster connection, sharing, and collaborating in this time of isolation and need. The Fathering Channel is an online community hub and a source of research-based advice, support and information. Tune in every Monday for Bruce’s weekly video – packed with fathering advice and tips.
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