It can be a fine balance between encouragment and pushiness when you're attempting to motivate your teenagers to stay fit and get involved in organized sports. If you don't introduce the idea, they may not realize it's an option, but if you come off as forceful they likely won't want to be bothered at all. So what's a proactive parent to do? Check out our eight tips for inspiring your kids to stay fit and play sports for some great ideas to get you started.
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Let them choose. It's probably going to be a lot more fun for your teenager if you let him have some control. Make suggestions, but don't get your heart set on a specific sport. Let your child choose what he or she wants to play.
Show support. First off, no matter what your teens are interested in, be supportive. Just because you prefer softball to bowling, it doesn't mean your daughter shouldn't join the bowling team. Same goes for ranking. Your kid may not be great at the sport he chooses, but you should still show up to as many games as possible.
Find role models. Once you've settled on a sport, help your kids do some research on who plays that sport and who does it well. It's great to have a positive role model and that athlete's story/stats, will likely serve as a great motivator for your kiddo.
Use the tube. Screen time may be controversial, but there's no denying kids love it. Whether it's actually watching sports on television or watching clips on YouTube, the act is sure to amp up the excitement level. Limit as you see fit, but I see no harm in using technology as a tool with your teens.
Play together. Dig out your old cleats and hit the soccer field with your teens. They'll likely love to see you interested and engaged in something they also enjoy. Plus, you can take the opportunity to not only teach them skills related to a specific sport, but you can also teach them about committing to lifelong fitness.
Recruit their friends. Have a chat with the parents of some of your child's closest friends and see if you can get them to help their child get involved in a sport as well. Oftentimes kids are afraid of being the odd one out, so knowing there's a good friend nearby, will give them the confidence to make the leap.
Praise hard work. Rather than only cheering when your kid makes a three-pointer, make sure you praise her for the effort. I'm not saying you should offer effusive praise just because she showed up for practice, but if you only cheer when she does something incredible, the pressure could be overwhelming. Offer encouragement and a simple "good job," whenever your child practices independently or does some research on how to improve her jump shot.
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