Do you find excuses when rsvp’ing your child to an all sports birthday party or find yourself wasting money when registering your child in sport leagues, knowing that they have no intention on playing the game? Aren’t all kids suppose to love sports? Yea, that what this mama thought and finally coming to terms to knowing that your child hates sports can in turn make you a better parent. Here’s how!
Whether you have a boy or girl, playing sports is something that every kid should be doing right? Being able to swing a bat or getting a goal should be the inevitable right? WRONG!
Instead you get this face, below is the face of my son, 2 years ago, when he had no intention of doing a karate stance or a high kick, this was just another one of my attempts to try to get him involved in something.
It seems that the millennium has brought on the expectation that parents will automatically enroll their kids into their (the parents’) sport of choice — or else.
I remember not so long ago when one of my best mom friends, who played professional soccer back in the days was so excited to show her kids her skills. The day she decided to sign up her daughter was the same day she was heartbroken when her daughter poo-pooed soccer and all sports alike.
[bctt tweet=”What To Do When Your Kids Hate Sports – via @mommyposh” username=””]Children range in not only personality types but interests as well. And still it happens that sports as a pursuit is expected, regardless of a child’s personal wishes.
So what is a parent suppose to do?
Try encouraging them instead of discouraging. Once you have asked if them about their likes and dislikes and trying to figure out why they may hate it (nervous about meeting new kids, fear of losing, don’t know how to play or self-conscious) you can work to address it. Perhaps look into an individual sport instead of a team one, or vice versa.
[bctt tweet=”Tip 1: Encourage vs. Discourage When Your Kids Hate Sports via @MommyPosh” username=””]Once my son discovered tennis over soccer, he then began to open his mind up to the idea of wanting to try another sport. Without pushing or discouraging him for not wanting to get involved with his peers, we just encouraged him…encouraged him to try different things.
In every case, remember that winning games and competitions or even playing on a team is not the end goal. Helping your child find physical activities that she enjoys and sticks with is.