Not every parent knows what needs to be done for the sake of their child’s health in the long term. But definitely everyone wants to discover these secrets. Well, here they are — the main principles of future athletes.
Parents and guardians play an absolutely fundamental role in introducing children to sports, encouraging the perseverance and progress of the child. This is noted by Claire-Marie Roberts, psychologist and head of the training of coaches at the English football The Premier League. All children benefit physically, emotionally and socially from staying active, so it is necessary to teach them to move.
Children’s sports
Of course, different types of activity are suitable for each age. It is not so difficult to determine them. It is important to remember that the desire of parents and sports will necessarily have a general impact on the upbringing of the child.
Sports for infants and preschoolers
The main advice: sports should be made a normal part of life. For babies, it is better to combine sports with fun by going to the park, to the pool or to the game center.
Greg Rutherford, a former Olympic long jumper and father of two, explains: “Throwing and catching perfectly develop hand-eye coordination, and we come up with silly games, for example, we take out pots and pans and try to throw a ball into them.”
Sports in the early years of school
At this age, a new (and no less significant) advice: you need to try as many sports as possible to find “the one”. If parents are actively involved in the choice, it “sets positive behavioral examples, so sports become the norm in the family,” says Claire-Marie Roberts.
She emphasizes that both parents are involved in this: “Unfortunately, in normative heterosexual families, it is usually the man who is the role model in sports and physical exercises. It’s very important that both parents do it together.”
Sports for teenagers
The main advice for teenagers is to overcome failures. And their parents, of course, need to help the child in overcoming problematic situations. Sports often become more competitive for this age group, and one bad experience can alienate a child.
Claire-Marie Roberts explains: “We need to encourage children, reflect with them and explain that everyone is disappointed, including the most successful athletes.” In addition, we must remember that a teenager is close to the full formation of his psyche and his views. This also needs to be taken into account and respected.