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| INSIDE AND OUTSIDE ALL SUMMER LONG |
Summer 2009
Your daughters are probably involved in sports activities. This is good for their health, self-confidence, and group skills. What can you do to keep them and your sons safe and having fun?
First, know your child and yourself. What sport(s) should they choose and why? Is this a sport they’d like to play or one that you’d like then to play? Is this a group sport and if so, is the team competitive? Who is the coach and what is her style?
Secondly, allow your child to participate in the decision making process. Even if your daughter makes the choice, you might want to have a trial period built in that includes the reasons for possibly dropping out. Your daughter should understand that if she joins a team, she has a responsibility to the team. They will depend upon her to show up on time for practices and to give her best effort during play. That’s why a trial period might be arranged with the coach in advance. If your daughter finds that this team is not a good fit for her, or if you find that the coaching style or attitude of the other team members don’t match your view of healthy play, then it might be best to look for another team or a different sport.
Lastly, remember to be supportive in both word and body language. Learners are just that. They are learning the game/sport and mistakes will be made. Your words and expressions should be supportive. Help your child to stay focused on the fun of the experience and the ability to improve with practice. Don’t let her put herself into a situation where she could get injured because she isn’t strong enough or skilled enough for the game. But remember, even Tiger Woods has tough days on the golf course!
Being a parent to a young athlete can be very challenging but it should also be fun for both you and your daughter. Try to keep the stress low. Play the game together for enjoyment.
Indoors requires another set of rules. Your daughters may be more technologically savvy than you but you still need to set the criteria for using the Internet and cell phones.
It’s important that the computer is in an area where you can oversee the sites your daughter is surfing. No one wants their child to become a “TV movie of the week” because she connected with the wrong site or the wrong person on the web.
Many local libraries offer programs for parents and/or for children on how to use the web safely. Perhaps there is one in your neighborhood that you could attend. Even without that, you could find safety suggestions right on the web itself that you and your daughter could read and agree to them together.
While a young person, who is not supervised, can wander to the wrong place on the internet, with supervision, look at all of the places to explore that will open up the world to her and expand her knowledge. What a great activity when that game is rained out this summer.
Cell phones can provide peace of mind for parents because they can reach their young teens easily but again, the purpose and use of the phone is something you should clarify with your child. Your child should also know and respect the rules of use set by their school, camp, etc.
Well, I remember using a black, dial phone with a party line and now there are iPhones with multiple apps and on the computer, Twitter and MySpace. Can you imagine what your daughters and sons will experience in the future? Wait until they have to set rules for their children!!!!
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