Given the kind of lifestyle that we live, our kids have a pretty high chance of falling for the same sedentary lifestyle. Our days are filled with activities that have little to no physical involvement, and so are our children’s. To add to that, smartphones, laptops and other gaming systems take up kids’ attention instead of the healthier ones like outdoor sports. It is high time parents addressed this issue and took up the initiative to improve this condition. Having said that, we have jotted down 8 points to aid you in this process of leading your child toward sports:
- Set a routine:
The best way to inculcate the love for sports in your kid is to expose them to it each day. Take them to the park, or if they are old enough, tag them along to watch or play a game. When they respond positively, keep up the practice. If they like playing a certain sport, make sure that they spend enough time on the court each day. Enough cannot be stressed upon the importance of a daily routine especially when it comes to physical fitness. Daily uniform habits will do much more than anything else to make your child look at sports in a different light.
- Have them coached:
When it comes to sports, a professional coaching is quite necessary. Your child needs to learn the correct way of playing a game, only then will they be able to enjoy it. You can enroll your kid in evening sports activities, or sign them up for a sports club. Sports camps are an excellent way to brush up your child’s game, literally. It is in your kid’s best interest to be.
- Give them time:
Allow them some time to accept the new routine. Make it known to them that their efforts aren’t going in vain, and will be rewarded with better returns.
- Don’t go overboard with it:
Pushing your kid’s limits may break the spring. This is especially for kids who despise sports. Help them through it. Accompany them physically and emotionally whenever possible. Do all that is in your power to make your kid comfortable with the games, all while not forcing them into it. Keep an eye out for subtle signs in your child’s behavior in case they are shy and do not open up to you easily.
- Compare less and Appreciate more:
As mentioned before, a little bit of appreciation and recognition goes a long way in boosting your child’s self-esteem. Never make the mistake of comparing your kid’s progress to that of any other kid. Remember that your child has only just started playing. Give them a little while before they can excel at it.
- Set bars:
The best way to improve oneself at anything on earth is to set small goals and achieve them each day. Set goals, surpass them, and raise your bar each day.
- Encourage effort and play:
If your kid is not fond of outdoor games, it is going to be tough work getting them to play. The smoothest way a parent can take is to butter them up. Children and even adults for that matter love to be encouraged and appreciated. A few words of kindness do no harm but can go a long way in upping your child’s interest as well as self-confidence, as far as these sports are concerned.
- Practice what you preach:
The least you can do here is to set a benchmark for a kid to work upon. Be a live role model for your child to look up to compare themselves to. Go ahead and put yourself in a love for sports, all over again.
Every kid responds differently to the same tactic applied. The above measures are generic, and can always be altered according to your child’s nature. You can even come up with innovative techniques of bringing your child to take interest in sports.
Physical activity is as important as studying, and hence parents also must take care to not dominate their children’s preferences and choices. Don’t push your kid. Lay out their options before them, and help them make a choice. Over time, your child will definitely start considering sports with other activities equally well.
