So you think your child may be a gifted athlete? Today’s show is for you. Gifted athletes like the professional soccer player I shared lunch with today, possess three common characteristics. If you are still left wondering whether your child may be headed toward a future in sports let me know. I would love to talk with you.
I would love to hear from you. Join the discussion by sending me your questions, comments, ideas and ramblings. The show improves and so does your child's journey through the middle school years, when you contribute.joe@thinking-forward.com
Watching the video “Little Leaguer Goes Off on Dad” reminded me of few rules regarding acceptable parent behavior at sporting events. Bring a chair, a cup of coffee and a zipper for your mouth the next time your child competes. The rules apply for any sporting event or opportunity your child has to shine. Remember, kids practice for their time to shine, so when the day comes don’t spoil it for them with words of criticism or coaching. Think of the match, recital or meet as a celebration of the time and energy kids have given. By all means cheer. A wonderful rule to follow is, praise publicly and criticize privately and even then, very little. The inspiration for today’s show comes from two sites,ShareFam.com and Youth Sports Parents Blog. Thanks to both sites for taking the time to focus on a truly important part of youth development.
Do you have a show idea or question you have wondered about? Send it to me either in an email or leave it in a comment here on the site. joe@thinking-forward.com
As a long time (20 years) club soccer coach I saw the best of what soccer and competition could do for kids. Unfortunately, I also saw my share of kids who were emotionally broken by comments from their coaches, parents and peers. What continually stunned me was the lack of information parents had when they made the decision to bring their kids to the club environment.
Today's show is the first official announcement of book two, A Parents' Guide to Competitive Club Sports (working title). The book will answer commonly asked questions like, "How much is this commitment going to cost?" and "How often should I expect to travel for games and tournaments?" Beyond the FAQs, I hope to raise awareness among parents about the expectations surrounding club sports. The book, if written as I have intended, should bring an end to the statement, "I had no idea what we were getting into."
How can you help?
Share your story with me. Parents with firsthand experience in club sports are prime contributors to the book. Send me an email that shares the highlights or low lights of your experience. Child experts (pediatricians, psychologists, teachers and coaches) send me your ideas about what you think is most important for parents to know before making a club sports commitment.
Are you wondering about something specific? What question do you hope I will answer about the middle school years? Send in your questions. Many of the topics I talk about come directly from viewers. You can either add questions in the comments section below or send them to me directly at joe@thinking-forward.com
What is acceptable coaching behavior for your family? A recent high school basketball game ended with a score of 100-0. Although the coach was dismissed, I wonder about the number of parents who declined to pull their kids off the court when the score was 50-0 or 60-0 or… At what point do you make the decision to say, “That’s enough!” and pull your kid off the court? What holds you back from making that decision? Today’s show hits a key idea that will help make this decision easier.
Are you wondering about something specific? What question do you hope I will answer about the middle school years? Send in your questions. Many of the topics I talk about come directly from viewers. You can either add questions in the comments section below or send them to me directly at joe@thinking-forward.com
Over the course of years it's easy for your child to become involved in a host of afterschool activities. Exposure to new environments and opportunities is amazing. The challenge comes, when she attempts to balance the responsibilities and expectations from these activities with her academic goals and aspirations. The two parts of a child's day may never be in complete alignment. I'm not sure it would be a plus anyway. Leaning too far in either direction can leave kids feeling anxious, a sight that most parents don't relish seeing. Take 4 minutes and walk away with two ideas that will keep you and your child from moving too far toward either end of the spectrum.
Are you wondering about something specific? What question do you hope I will answer about the middle school years? Send in your questions. Many of the topics I talk about come directly from viewers. You can either add questions in the comments section below or send them to me directly at joe@thinking-forward.com
