Question

Some parents build their children’s lives around sports and place a high premium on the successes their children achieve in sports. Such parents often enroll their kids in sports programs when they are in preschool and continue to encourage their involvement in sports through high school and beyond. Many of these parents justify their position by equating success on the playing field with success in the real world. They also cite the benefits of sports to support their decisions: improving physical fitness, building lasting friendships, and acquiring life skills, such as persistence and teamwork.

In light of this phenomenon, discuss the benefits and drawbacks to parental involvement in their children’s sports lives. When do parents cross the line between healthy encouragement to prepare their children for success and pushing them to succeed at all costs?

Answer 1

These types of scenarios are child dependent. For some children, this would be ideal but for others not. Also if a parent is pushing them to succeed at all costs this may mean that they are using their child as a life dummy. As a child, they may have not done or failed at these types of things and are using their own as a way to fix themselves. This is an unhealthy coping mechanism but not always the case. The line is typically crossed when the child is continually sad and uncomfortable with going. Once again this is child dependent. Also if they simply don't like the spot switch it up.