Is your child getting signed up for a million different sports this spring? Great!
But you might be wondering how you’re going to manage such a busy schedule with so many sports practices and games. Parenting is challenging enough… add in a ton of organized activities and it can start to feel overwhelming quickly.
Does your child participate in spring sports like flag football, soccer, tennis, or baseball? If so, let’s explore some of the ways you can better support your child athlete with his or her spring sports this year.
The Importance of Balance to Young Athletes
As the spring sports season approaches, many parents are looking to balance their child’s athletic obligations with other activities, like family and school.
Striving for balance between sports activities and other obligations can help parents better support their children enrolled in many sports this spring and keep them healthy.
How to Manage Spring Sports for Your Child
Supporting your child is the most important thing you can do, but this can be challenging when a child is (or multiple of your children are) enrolled in multiple sports. Here are a few ways to help your child manage a full spring sports schedule.
Maintain a family calendar.
Keeping track of a child’s sports schedule can help parents better support their kids. Spring sports season can be very stressful for both children and their families, as they have many different activities to keep track of.
Consider maintaining a family calendar to make sure the entire family knows what’s going on at all times. In addition, it’s important to talk to your children about what their goals are for spring sports and how they want to balance their activities during the season.
Stay hydrated and wear sunscreen.
During the spring sports season, children are often outside playing and enjoying the warmer weather. During this time, it’s important for parents to make sure their child is hydrated and wearing sunscreen.
Encouraging young athletes to drink water and apply sunscreen can help them stay happy and healthy as they participate in the physical activities they enjoy most.
Plan healthy meals ahead of time.
Planning meals ahead of time can help busy parents prepare and serve nutritious meals for their children. Planning healthy meals also can help parents save money, reduce stress, and meet nutritional needs for their children.
Nutrition is one of the most important but often overlooked elements of supporting children who are participating in many spring sports this year. This back-to-basics approach to nutrition can help athletes optimize performance by including the right macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fat) at the right amounts before, during, and after play.
Make sure your child is having fun.
It’s important for parents to check in with their children after a game or practice to make sure they are having fun and enjoying the sport. Make sure your child is happy with the sport(s) he or she plays. If not, consider switching to a different activity, or dropping one if your child plays multiple sports.
If you have multiple kids who play, don’t expect them to necessarily play the same sport as each other or their friends, even if they’ll be playing on the same team. In addition, never push your child too hard – aim to encourage, not criticize!
Spring Sports at LuHi
Being a sports parent at every level is no easy task, and parents must be flexible, understanding, and involved. It takes a village to raise a child—not just on game days, but on weeknights as well!
Be present for your children and maintain an open dialogue about how they are feeling—whether that means playing multiple sports or being overly exhausted with training sessions twice a day on back-to-back days.
To learn more about how to support your child athlete, or to find out more about the many spring sports activities we offer at LuHi, visit our website today!
