Sports bring up a lot of opportunities as well as challenges for children. Parents want only the best for their children, and they try to be present in whatever ways they can to support them in this endeavour.
Small things that can be kept in mind while putting your child up for any sports activity can be:
Proper physical and mental assessment:
Just as physical abilities are judged or assessed before participating in any sport, mental capacity should also be assessed to determine if the child is ready to face the challenges that will arise during the game.
Making counselling mandatory in school:
Sports are not just about physical precision and power; many require a lot of stability and mental strength to focus and channel that for optimum performance.
Know when to stop and quit:
Parents and teachers should teach their children and students when to stop and drop out rather than running in the rat race of winning. Usually, highly competitive sports cause a lot of pent-up anxiety in children, which can affect their other phases of life.
Discuss the child’s comfort:
From time to time, talk to the child about their comfort in the specific game. Some sports or activities, such as swimming, require the child to be physically vulnerable, as teenagers’ bodies go through a lot of changes and they may not be comfortable coming out and accepting them completely. providing a safe place for the child to come and talk about any problems.
Support a child’s dream by giving the child a free hand in playing the sport they like, not what’s trending. For example, boys should not be discouraged from classical dancing or ballet, and girls should not be discouraged from playing cricket or football, to eliminate gender bias in sports, because athletes thrive when they do things they enjoy and are passionate about.
Family therapy to bridge communication gaps and have open discussions about failures; we know it’s not always going to be a win-win situation, and sports build a lot of character even when people lose. It’s fine that they accept it as part of the game rather than getting upset about it. It’s natural to feel bad, but the energy can and should be channelled into improving oneself and not sulking or storing up anger against the people who are winning. We’ve all heard stories about people who aced big exams and
thanked their parents for it; let there be more stories about athletes whose parents accepted and supported them throughout their journey and equated it with studies rather than viewing it as a complementary thing they do in addition to studies. Kids flourish a lot when they have parental support, knowing that their parents will support them no matter what.
Encouraging team building:
A lot of sports are played in teams, which builds group effort, and the child should be encouraged to be a part of the group and follow rules and leadership. It builds a lot of patience in the child, as they might not always feel in control but also learn how to take orders and follow a set schedule.
Visiting a psychiatrist:
There will be things your child will be good at as well as bad at, and how that affects their physical and mental health If the child has any behavioural changes affecting their day-to-day life (such as changes in sleep or appetite), consult the doctor right away. The job of parents is to know when and how their children are affected and to get the right professional help for them at the right time to help them cope in terms of both regular physical and mental health assessments.
Shared By : Dr. Rashi Agarwal,
Psychiatrist, Educator and Mental Health Expert
