Culture Post: How ‘Unruly’ Sports Parents Harm Their Kids’ Mental Health

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by HealthDay.

Everyone knows that specific type of sports parent – the over-the-top dad or mom who curses, shouts and even becomes physically aggressive during their kid’s match.

While they might think they’re cheering their kid to victory, such poor sports behavior actually can turn a child or teen off to athletics, psychiatrists warn.

“Some of those behaviors would be setting unrealistic expectations for the young athlete, such as perfection in a game and displaying disappointment or embarrassment if their kid isn’t meeting those expectations,” Dr. Lauren Havel, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, said in a news release.

Kids learn how to interact with others by watching the important adults in their lives, Havel said. As a result, children might wind up emulating the disrespect their parents show towards a coach, officials, the opposing team, or other parents,

In essence, parents could be training their kids to be poor sports themselves, Havel said.

Havel made several recommendations for sports parents who want to behave properly during a game. Among them were:

• Focus on the child and their motivations rather than your own motivations as a parent. Consider why they play the game and what they love about it.
• Walk away if you feel you can’t manage your behavior during a game. Take a lap around the field or get a snack from concessions to remove yourself from the situation and walk off your agitation.
• Wait until after the game to express concerns with a coach or official. Rather than have that conversation in front of children, do so privately or through an official channel.

Source: HealthDay
https://www.healthday.com/health-news/child-health/how-unruly-sports-parents-harm-their-kids-mental-health

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