What you say to your child after a game is critical to helping them process the game productively. Start by making two positive comments about your son or daughter’s performance. Ask what your player did well today. You want your child to feel confident about some aspect of performance. Ask your athlete what she thinks she could to do better next competition.
No matter how happy or disappointed you are with your kids performance, always show the same reaction after competition. Always offer any constructive comments you may have about your athlete’s performance. These will help your child learn, grow, or improve. Finally, reinforce the idea that your child’s success (or lack of success) does not reflect on her as a person. You do not want your kids to equate their self-worth with their performance!
Check out The Ultimate Sports Parent workbook for more sports parenting tips.