In a recent post, I made the seemingly heretical statement that parents shouldn’t raise independent children. I hopefully explained myself adequately and provide a reasonable justification for what sounds like, at first blush, an absurd statement. I also made the distinction between raising children who are independent (again, not a good thing) and children who [...]
In my first parenting book, Positive Pushing, I wrote a section titled “Raise an Independent Child” in which I recommended that parents should allow their children to gain independence from them as soon as possible. They should give their children the freedom to become their own people and navigate the world on their own. I [...]
As I described in Part I, Part II, and Part III of this four-part series on Meeting the Challenges of Tryouts, my focus is on what athletes can do to make their tryout experiences as enjoyable and successful as possible. So far, I wrote about the psychological challenges for young athletes and how they can [...]
My two daughters are officially ski racers. They’ve been on the Sugar Bowl Ski Team for seven years now, skied twice this summer, and will attend winter term at Sugar Bowl Academy this coming season. Because of this burgeoning involvement in our sport, I’m often asked by other parents why they ski race and why [...]
It's almost become a cliche. Parents yelling at their children at practice or during games. Parents heckling the opposing team. Parents berating coaches. Parents threatening referees. Parenting fighting each other in the stands. In just about any sport, at every level of youth sports, on any given day, and on fields, courts, courses, and rinks [...]
I'm pleased to be a part of The Parent Shift Master Class online series featuring interviews with some of the world’s leading parenting experts, researchers, and colleagues giving parenting solutions to help you raise happy, healthy, and successful children. Each interview is specifically designed to be short and focused on a powerful topic that you [...]
In this week’s vlog segment, I share with you seven important messages related to your children’s sports participation that you want to send them. These messages are so valuable because they will set the tone for how your young athletes approach their sports involvement. If your messages are about results, expectations, and pressure, three bad things [...]
I was recently interviewed by John Bennett, "The Travel Ball Dad," on a variety of issues and concerns related to raising young athletes. The interview explores how parents can best support their children in their sports participation, the challenges created by the "youth sport industrial complex," and questions and answers about when young athletes should [...]
The day of a game is a stressful time for athletes and parents alike. Athletes are putting their efforts on the line and must accept that those efforts don’t always pay off in sports. Parents want the best for their children and it pains us beyond pale to see our kids not find the success [...]
The race season is now upon us and race day is a stressful time for racers and parents alike. Young racers are putting their efforts on the line and must accept that those efforts don’t always pay off in our sport. Parents want the best for their children and it pains us beyond pale to [...]
