Parent-Child Communication

With the increasing focus in youth sports on success, a sports psychologist and former elite short track cyclist says parents should emphasize practice to play, leaving their expectations at home on game day, and being motivated by a desire to have fun, not achieve results.

Parents who set boundaries and expectations for their teenage daughters but encouraged independence within those limits were better able to gauge their child's mood, provide feedback on their child's sports performance at the right time, and maintain open lines of communication, a new Canadian study finds.

When you attend a child's games, go as a fan, not a coach. Kids don't like when their parents make more noise than anyone or yell plays or instructions from the sideline or stands.  Young players need to learn from their mistakes, as much as from their successes. Not only do they get confused if parents and coaches are constantly yelling criticism or plays, all that yelling can do long-lasting psychological damage. MomsTeam founder Brooke de Lench shares some stories that taught her valuable lessons on sports parenting.

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.

Women, particularly the mothers who volunteer, are often the backbone of what makes a youth sports team work smoothly.
Unfortunately, as with dads, when it comes to their own child's sports team, a mom's greatest strengths can become weaknesses that can cause problems for her child and his/her coach. 

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.

The last thing a child needs to hear is a parent criticizing their performance or giving coaching pointers. What they want most is unconditional support and encouragement, not criticism.