Keeping Your Sports Mom Mania In Place
Moms, we've all done it. The pride we feel while our little one takes part in the school's sports day or merely watching them run along a track is overwhelming. As is the whole need for vengeance against the little four-year-old who dared trip them on their way to glory! It's crazy, fantastic, frustrating, beautiful, exhilarating and enough to reduce you to tears, the life of the sports mom.
It goes further if you also go on to volunteer to help out, ultimately becoming ingratiated into the heart of the team. It's more than merely being responsible for washing the teams' softball uniforms but where do you draw the line though, so that your child's experience is as positive as yours? Here are some general tips.
Be sure to keep the General at home. Though overall, moms can be great at taking charge of administrative tasks such as making sure every player has a snack or encouraging new players to feel at home they can sometimes get a little over-enthusiastic when it comes to stepping on the coaching teams toes.
Allow the coach to do his or her jobs taking charge of practice and games sessions. Don't hover over the bench area distracting kids with well-meaning advice or unscheduled drinks or snacks.
Resist the temptation to baby your child or others. It's a natural instinct for a woman to nurture, and to try to keep children safe and secure. The one place to avoid this call of nature is at the game. Boys especially will not thank you for dropping everything and running full tilt on to the pitch should they trip or collide with a teammate. Let your child know you have faith in their abilities and will be watching from the side, being sure to save the awkward hugs for home.
Encourage and advise but don't nag. Any child loves to hear the rallying support from the crowd and constant reinforcement such as "go for it", "good job" can make all the difference. It has been shown however that these positive statements can be absorbed easily, almost in the peripherals of a child's hearing. Comments such as "Run Faster" or "Hold your bat up", can be considered a negative judgement and even hear it a couple of times during a match can knock child confidence. The team's coach will know how to offer constructive advice, so again, leave it to them.
If the idea of being team admin or just a proud fan isn't quite fulfilling enough then, of course, learn how to coach yourself. If you are a woman, consider coaching a female team. This isn't about gender specifics, more women are the best suited to teach girls how to be strong and able sportswomen.
Sports are an excellent place for young girls starting out in a sport a focal point. A place to learn they can achieve anything they are prepared to work hard for. Success in sports early on can boost a girls confidence, something which allows her to believe in her ability to make decisions. This can then go on to affect how she chooses partners, schools, even a job.
It just goes to show how vital a good sports mom can be!