Family and Sports: Over Critical Parents Part 1
by Dr. Coach Love
Our three kids play on select sports teams. It’s great but my husband gets way
too excited and critical. I think he is teaching a bad example. He agrees, but has trouble controlling himself because he is so passionate and was a great athlete years ago.
How can we improve?
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Parents often spoil athletic experiences for children. We see it everywhere—
dads screaming at refs, moms yelling at their kids for not being aggressive
enough to suit them, and parents pressuring kids to excel in the mechanics of sports —sacrificing enjoyment and numerous valuable life lessons.
You recognize the picture. You know THOSE parents.
You think your husband may become one of them.
But you and your husband are on your way to improvement because you both recognize the problem. What are you values and goals for your children’s sports?
Taking the next step to improvement involves assessing your values and goals.
Go to Quizzes-Goals for Children’s Sports for a quiz and ideas on setting
goals. Then check back in Part 2 for more discussion and tips on how to change your approach to your kids’ sports activities…
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Regards,
Dr. Coach Love
MORE INFO LINKS: Lists-Sports Parents Who Over Do It;
Posts- Pt2 5-10-08;
Quizzes- Goals for Children’s Sports;
Reflections- My Golf and My Life Lessons
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© Copyright 2008 P.H. Pickett, Ph.D. All rights reserved. Reprint with permission.
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I think one of the biggest challenges we face as parents is separating out our own needs and issues from those of our children. In this example, it is obvious that Dad’s agenda sort of runs over that of the child. The first rule of parenting is to take care of yourself – that includes being aware of your own feelings and agendas to the point that you can manage them appropriately when interacting with your child. There are often times when I have to remind myself that “It’s not about me!”