Throughout this article we will try to see how to inculcate to the parents of sportsmen children some advices with the objective to promote the sports education of our pupils.

Tips for parents with children who are athletes

These are some of the guidelines that parents of children who are athletes should follow in order to contribute to their progress.

1. Behavior: a parent should preach by example

In the world of sport we are tired of seeing every weekend bad behaviour by parents who go to the stands when they go to see their children at the games. If we want to encourage the autonomy of our children it will then be important to maintain an appropriate and calm attitude.

We cannot forget that children (and not so children), when they practice a sport are developing their personality at the same time. This means that in the face of adversity on the playing field, children will doubt themselves and try to find a ‘friendly face’ to give them the confidence they are looking for.

If when looking at his parent, one finds a parent-trainer who keeps indicating play instructions in a negative way, the child will not take control of the situation and will probably not have enough confidence to make appropriate decisions.

If, on the other hand, he observes his father smiling, then the sportsman will assume his role as a player and take solutions with greater self-confidence.

2. Nutritional control

This second point we are going to talk about is part of what trainers and coaches ‘don’t see’ when children are at home with their parents, the so-called invisible training . Here are some other points that we will talk about later, but we will start with the subject of nutrition.

We must control what our children eat throughout the day, especially when they are involved in sports activities. It is essential to educate our children to make five meals a day where the variety of nutrients is ‘the main course’. You have to know how to eat everything.

As you know, it is important not to overuse sugars and saturated fats. For example, it is better for our children to have a small ham and tomato sandwich with a juice or a piece of fruit before doing physical activity or sports than to go easy and buy them a chocolate doughnut.

3. Time organization

There is no better way to create safety in a child when he or she knows when an activity begins and ends. Designing a schedule of activities will be fundamental if we want to help our children to develop strong self-confidence . In addition, it is important to instil a sense of time, that they know when it is time for one or another activity.

We also have to take into account not to saturate our children with too many extra-curricular activities (English, French, swimming, football, basketball, etc.), as we can develop in them the so-called mental fatigue . The consequences can be the following: falling asleep in class, lack of energy, little attention to the teachers, lack of concentration in studying, poor school performance, apathy… We should never forget either study time or free time or so-called play time.

4. The study

A child who plays sports usually has problems organizing his study time. Whether it is because the training times are not the best and they take up the afternoon or just because of the time wasted. We parents must instil in our children that studying allows them to develop their intelligence , which will also help them to develop the sporting qualities for which they train with greater skill.

Setting study periods of 45 minutes will allow the child to optimize his study. Knowing how much time he has to develop the task will give him more security and motivation to finish it, because he knows that once he finishes he will have free time to play. If necessary, you can include as many 45-minute periods as you need.

5. Responsibility and autonomy

This last point is fundamental in order to develop a personality where security, confidence and decision making take a leading role.

We must teach our children from a very young age to be responsible and to take on certain household tasks: making the bed, setting and clearing the table, picking up their room, making their school bag and sports bag, etc. In this way, we encourage the child’s responsibility.

On the other hand, we must educate our children to be more autonomous. To do this, we can teach them to brush their teeth alone, to dress themselves, to take a shower, to tie their slippers, to prepare their breakfast, etc. Little by little we must increase the level of autonomy. This will help develop greater levels of self-confidence and security, as the child will be able to do increasingly difficult tasks.

To conclude, it is essential that both parents and coaches row in the same direction and use sport as a motivational method to develop those behaviours that will provide the child with an enriching knowledge that is fundamental for his or her development as a person.

Parents must instill in their children that going to training is a responsibility and a commitment that one has acquired, and that playing on the weekend is a reward for their work and effort, but not only on the pitch but in all areas of life (home, school, sport, family, etc.).