SOME THINGS TO SAY TO PARENTS
Jeffrey Bond (no date). From his publication Being an athletic parent.
Do:
- treat the child the same, irrespective of winning and losing;
- look relaxed, calm and positive on the sidelines;
- make friends with other parents at competitions;
- be an understanding listener rather than a critic, judge or fixer;
- let the child know your love is not related to sporting performance;
- occasionally let your child compete without you being there - do not hover.
Do not:
- take the credit by saying things like "we are playing today";
- become pushy or believe you are indispensable;
- make enemies of your child's opponents/family;
- make them feel guilty by reminding them of your sacrifices;
- compare their performance to those of other children;
- badger, harass or use sarcasm to motivate.
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