Most parents like their children to be involved with sports for a number of reasons.
For one thing, the old days of children just walking out the door and finding kids to play with and a game to play with them are over. Letting your children wander around the streets today can be dangerous, and children’s sports have become organized affairs. So if you want your child to have fun and get some healthy exercise, you have to enroll him or her in one of countless kids sports programs.
As with all good things, this trend has been taken to some extremes, with children’s sports becoming big competitive businesses and turning a relaxing, enjoyable pastime into a stressful situation for both children and parents.
KIDS SPORTS: CHARACTER BUILDING OR STRESS INDUCING ?
The Pros
There are plenty of good things to say about organized kids sports programs. With almost 50% of America’s children becoming obese, it is important that we find a safe, healthy way for them to get some exercise. Frequently, joining a sports team means at least two or three days of practice, and games on the weekend, so parents can be sure that Junior is moving his body a few times a week between video games.
Organized sports also instill a sense of loyalty and discipline, which are so important as children are growing. Having a schedule for after school is beneficial, and being part of a team in which each of the members have to rely on the others makes the child look outside his own ego and needs.
Some sports, ice hockey and crewing come to mind, have strict codes of ethics that members must follow, including how they wear their hair and dress. Other skills are also built on the playing fields, such as dexterity, balance, understanding rules, and physical problem solving. Many parents cite the fact that even if their children are not able to secure an academic scholarship, they can often get financial assistance when they are drafted to be on a college team.
The Cons
Murderous cheerleader mothers may be an extreme example, but some parents do lose all sense of propriety when their children are competing.
Often, coaches and trainers are not much better, sending a poor signal to children that winning, not how you play the game is more important than anything. There have been far too many examples of parents engaging in brawls over referee’s call, or another parent’s remark about his kids’ performance.
This kind of stress cannot be healthy for a child: excel in school, make sure you hang out with the coolest kids, make sure you make not only your parents but also other parents proud and make sure you are on the winning team.
Not much time for fun and just to be a kid.
And, as much as loyalty and a team spirit are praised, the other side of that coin is for children to become cliquish and exclusionary.
If you are not a jock, you are ridiculed.
Another often overlooked Con to kids sports is the danger of giving your child into the temporary care of another adult, even if it is only to their coach. Try checking out the top 5 best background check services so you have an idea of your coaches (if any) criminal record.
The obvious solution is a common sense approach to kid’s sports where the advantages, such as team spirit and a sense of discipline are fostered, without the dark side of ugly competitiveness and lack of compassion for others, taking over.
How many sports and extra-curricular activities do your kids participate in ? Do you set limits ? Leave us a comment and let us know!
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