PotreroHillParents.org

Being a huge sports fan myself, I do get a little nervous thinking about how I will react while watching my kid play sports. These days parents see their children as the athlete they never were. I did have great role models though, my parents were nothing but supportive as they sat through every gymnastics meet, softball game and volleyball game.

Below is a much more “scientific” article on how some overly enthusiastic behavior can actually have a negative effect on children. I will always believe that sports are a very important part of growing up, they teach teamwork, perserverence and hopefully how to lose gracefully. Let’s just hope that parents do their part to make sure the sporting experience is a positive one for their kids.

FRIDAY, May 19 (HealthDay News) — Enthusiastic parents who line the bleachers or sidelines at youth sporting events are critical to their children’s development.

Unfortunately, not all of them are critical in a good way, according to a new survey.

“Parents who are more active tend to have kids who are more active,” said study author Daniel Gould, director of the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports at Michigan State University. “At the same time, it’s really easy to fall into the trap of focusing only on winning.”

Read more…