Getting involved in your child’s life is something that can seem like an insurmountable barrier. Whether you are a foster parent or a biological one, sometimes getting involved in their life can feel like a party you’re not invited to. And that ability to be overbearing, especially when it’s something that we know is good for them, in the long run, can mean that we get stuck in way too much. Sport is a perfect example. It’s an excellent way to improve the relationship between you and your child, and it’s a perfect way to implement teamwork skills, as well as the physical benefits. But what can you do to ensure that you get involved with your child’s sporting life without being overbearing?

Talk To Them!

As nice as it would be to get involved in their baseball team, do they want you hanging around the playing field? As much as you have grand plans, you’ve purchased numerous baseball dugout charts, and even consulted with the coach, you need to speak to your child to see if they are also willing for you to get involved. You’ve got to respect their wishes if they say no. Sometimes it’s right for you to get involved in extracurricular activities, like a sports team, but when you get overly involved in their life like this, they may not feel like they can be themselves. This is something you have to respect. It’s far better to ask them at the outset so that you know where you are. As lovely as it is for you to help, maybe they feel they would benefit more by being left to their own devices.

Nurturing Development

We’ve all seen those parents that coach their child’s sports team, and end up supporting their child’s more than the others. This is sheer favoritism which doesn’t benefit anyone. At the same time, you need to nurture their development. What you can do, even from a distance, is to minimize the emphasis on winning and losing. This could cause your child anxiety and reduce their motivation for the sport. If you want to nurture their development, focus on effort. This is especially true when they are younger and learning how to compete in sports. As well, you need to provide emotional support. When your child participates in sports, they could find themselves in a lot of challenging and stressful environments. If they are exceptionally gifted at a sport, they may feel a lot of pressure to perform. Ensuring that you are there for them in an emotional sense will encourage emotional freedom.

Help Your Child To Relax

Sports and competitions are very pressurized environments. If you are incredibly enthusiastic about your child and the sport you may very well want to provide constructive criticism. Instead, it’s far better for you to help them to relax and to ensure consistency as far as positivity and control of their emotions are concerned. 

When you want to get involved in your child’s sports, it’s so easy to become overbearing and over-enthusiastic. We have to remember that it’s a gift that they have to develop themselves with the right support. And what we can do is provide gentle guidance. We don’t necessarily need to take over the entire operation.