New to Sports Parenting? You must be super
excited, and so must be your little one; the new uniform, new sports gear, and
the inflated (secret) sense of pride! Here’s a starter for you – the excitement
has just begun, so has the pride and prejudice.
There’s so much to sports parenting -
so much of running around to do, so many mood tantrums to take care of, so much
of psychic counseling, emotional bracing, role juggling, and yes, so many
obvious and ancillary expenses to take care of. If this sounds like a scare,
here’s the takeaway for sports parents; your child will learn some of the best
lessons in life you can ever teach – fitness, teamwork, discipline, hard-work,
dignity, self-esteem, ability to take challenges head-on, maturity to lose
gracefully, and so much more. And if your child goes on to make a career in
sports, it’ll be an added boon.
To start off, here’s a list of
essentials you must keep handy:
·
First-aid box – Stock up medical essentials in a box.
You might have your own list, but here’s a little help: muscle rub, pain relief
spray, painkillers, antiseptic cream, bandages, ice pack, sunscreen, mosquito
repellents, anti-allergy, and anything else that you can think of using in an
emergency.
·
Toiletries – Although fields have bathrooms, but it’s always advisable to be ready
for a bathroom emergency. It would be a good idea to carry your own toilet
paper, hand sanitizer, hand and face wipes, a few zipper bags, liquid soap if
possible.
·
Old newspaper/sheet – This will come in handy for so many
things like keeping the gear clean even if you have to keep things on the
ground. These will certainly come in handy when you have to keep soiled gear in
the car.
·
Sports Parent Gear – You will definitely need these:
o
Sunscreen (lots of
it)
o
Hat and sunglasses
o
Outdoor folding
chairs
o
Deodorizers
o
Munchies or snack
bars
In addition to this, here are a few
tips that will come in real handy:
·
Set up a carpool
group with other parents from the team. This will help keep the work, home and
game balance well.
·
Give your child the
time and space to relate to the game and like it. Don’t burden her with
arbitrary expectations.
·
Never burden your
child with your sports ambition. Not every child who plays goes pro, but every
child who plays learns life lessons that shape up character.
·
Do not be tempted
with the carrot of college scholarship. The whole orientation of the game
changes.
And here’s the most important thing
that every sports parent must remember, let the kid enjoy the game, the
learning will fall in place; teach your child to be happy, success will fall in
place.
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