General

No matter how talented your child may be, there are going to days when he doesn't play his best, or when, despite his best effort, his team loses.  How you manage both the ups, and the inevitable downs, will play a large role in whether your child has a successful youth sports experience.  Here are ten things to keep in mind after your child's team loses or he doesn't perform up to his expectations.

Kids, especially under twelve, are always seeking their parents' approval. Negative labels and generalizations and criticism can have a devastating emotional impact. If you critique your child's performance, she will interpret your anger, disapproval, and disappointment as meaning that you don't love her anymore-that your love is conditional.

If the world were a perfect place, talking to a youth hockey coach would be as natural and stress free for a hockey mom as talking to her child's teacher. Unfortunately, there is not much that worries and confuses hockey moms more than talking to their child's coach.

Whether to play girl's hockey or boys is often a difficult choice for girls and their parents, with advantages and disadvantages to each. Ultimately, there is no right or wrong decision, and it becomes a matter of thinking of her goals and then tailoring the decision to meet those goals.

Have you ever wondered if you're working your child too hard at his sport? The fact is that taking a break from all those practices and games is crucial to preventing the burnout that causes so many young athletes to quit their sport, and to avoiding the overuse injuries that often result from year-round play. Athletes, regardless of age or ability, need to include downtime and rest from their sport to perform at their best.

From the questions I get about my own summer hockey camps, and with so many camps to choose from, I know that there are parents out there who don't know exactly what they are all about and are confused about what makes a really good camp.