I couldn’t wait for the day that my son or daughter would play sports.  I am such a huge sports fan, so I knew this would be one of the most enjoyable moments for me as their mom.   Watching them run up down a field or court is an exciting and new way for them to be encouraged. I always knew sports provided kids with a different type of discipline, from sportsmanship to teamwork, I knew no matter what it would be a positive environment for my son to grow.

My son is four and full of pure boy energy, so I knew right away he would love sports.  Figuring this I decided to sign him up for pee-wee soccer.  I figured it would be a no-brainer, he would run and kick the ball and absolutely love doing it, honestly I thought it would come natural to him.  Once he started he looked lost! He was easily distracted and totally uninterested in playing he even stopped listening to the coach.  Immediately I became so discouraged, questioning my motives for putting him a sport; “was it too soon”, “maybe he’s not quite ready”. I began making excuses for this and doubting him and myself as a parent.  This is supposed to be a fun and positive thing, so why am I so frustrated about it?

Naturally as parents we want to see our kids excel in life.  We want to see our kids grow and learn new things in the process.  So when things don’t go the way we’re planning them in our heads, we tend to throw tantrums and get frustrated.  I had to really sit back and focus on why I did I put him in sports in the first place which is….TO HAVE FUN.  My attitude could have ruined the entire experience for him, and I am glad that I readjusted it to encourage and motivate him.

So what changed? I want to give all my mommies out there a few tips on how to help your child succeed at something, rather than give up.  Giving up is the easy way out, sticking to it and practicing is definitely a key element.  So here are the benefits of sports for preschoolers along with some of cons.

 

Before putting my son in soccer, I did a vast amount of research to help prove my point.  My husband was really skeptical on the matter and unsure if putting in him sports so soon was a good idea.  I needed something to justify my actions for signing him up.  I found a few good articles from MegMeekerMD.com about sports and preschoolers.  I thought this article provided excellent feedback on the matter, however it leaned more towards no sports (or other activities) Meeker stated it was taking away from family time that young kids need, that interaction from their parents.  While family values are very important, I think it’s important to teach your kids to be socially inclined as well.  So before you make your decision do your research to find out what works best for you and your kids.

You’re probably wondering what this has to do with anything, I’m getting to a point I promise.  Spoonful.com was a great tool for me, I found an article that showed the positive aspect of sports for kids and how it could impact their lives at a young age.

• Personal Discoveries. Sports can help kids discover what they like or dislike, It also teaches them to be team players (sharing) along with encouragement from their peers and other adults around them (The coach, other parents).
• It takes them away from the Tube.   Kids today are glued to the TV, Video games, and any other form of technology.  It’s causing them to lose interest in playing outside and being active.  I found that kids who watch too much TV lose sleep at night and are less effective in school.  Another reason to get them out of the house, to a park to run and play.
• Self-Esteem Builder.  Sports can help build confidence along with social interaction of teammates their age.

So my husband I decided to sign him and try it out.

My point to all this is that it’s supposed to be FUN for them and you.  It’s something new and you the parent are introducing them to new things, at some point as they grow they can make decisions to determine what they want to do, but this will help guide them.  It’s up to you and what you want for your child.  I must say, if you like having a busy schedule then this is for you.  It takes a lot of work to be a part of a team.  I knew all of this; I just needed my attitude to change.  He’s not going to get it right away, and two hours a week isn’t going to cut it.  I realized I needed to put in the extra time to help him succeed.  By taking him to the park to show him, I also included my husband in have to interact in the process.  It makes a world of difference when both parents are active in this process.  I always say, try it out and if you and your child don’t like it then try something else or wait until he’s ready.

Ultimately it’s important to understand how things work.  To assess your life and what you can handle.  But I do believe it’s important to try it out to make the best decision for you and your child.  This experience personally has been a great thing for our family.  It allows us to stay on track with schedules and keeps us on our toes during the week.  My son is learning to love it and now asks to go to practice.  It’s been three weeks so far and I think that he will grow to enjoy it, and if he doesn’t; that’s OK too.  At least we tried and did it together. 

Thanks for stopping by mommies; I hope this post encouraged you if you are struggling with this specific area of sports and other activities outside of school.  Remember to share my blog with other mommies out there so together we can strive for mommy success!