As we are cutting corners in our household, many of us may be tempted to cut out some of the sports programs our children are participating. Before you do this, stop and think about some of the benefits that your children gain from playing sports such as:
Benefit #1 Of Your Child Playing Sports: Learning About Responsibility
When a child takes part in a sporting activity, he/she must learn how his/her actions affect others. This helps them become more responsible. If they are late for practice, the team suffers. Some coaches will even take tardiness from one player out on the whole. If they don’t do well, their team may lose. This may make them feel bad and make other players feel badly toward them. Plus, there is the day to day responsibility of maintaining their sports equipment, showing up in the proper uniforms, keeping track of dates of training and actual events, as well as many other activities that can help a child learn about responsibility.
Benefit #2 Of Your Child Playing Sports: Learning About Teamwork
You know the old saying there is no I in team. The only way to teach a child this is by allowing a child to see and feel what it is like to be a part of a team. He/she can learn the fun part of teamwork along with the hard parts.
Benefit #3 Of Your Child Playing Sports: Learning That The World Does Not Revolve Around Him/Her
Even if your child is a star athlete, he/she will soon learn that the world does not revolve around him/her while playing sports. It takes the whole team to win a game. This how they are taught about teamwork and how they can begin to realize that others are important, too.
Benefit #4 Of Your Child Playing Sports: It Helps Your Child To DeStress
Yes, children are stressed, too. Actual children today are more stressed and more of them are being diagnosed with depression than ever. The reason why is that our lives are more hectic and children are more aware of what is going on in the world. Playing sports gives your child a break from the stress and a way to vent in a good way that is beneficial and possibly rewarding for him/her.
Benefit #5 Of Your Child Playing Sports: It Helps To Teach Your Child That Everyone Fails
No, team is going to win every game. This is one reason how we can teach our children about failure in a way that they can understand and possibly overcome.
In life, no matter how hard we try and train, we sometimes fail. If we learn this fact early, we can learn how to deal with it when it does happen and also learn how to enjoy our victories even more.
Benefit #6 Of Your Child Playing Sports: Your Child Is Getting The Exercise He/She Needs
Studies show that children are not all getting the amount of exercise they need. This can lead to health problems such as diabetes and obesity. Exercise in itself may not interest a child. However, playing sports and being part of a team may motivate your child to put down the video game controller, gain some exercise, and have some fun while doing it.
Yes, sporting activities can be expensive. If it is necessary, only cut back on those activities that your child is less enthused. Hopefully, this will give you the extra money to help him/her to participate in those sporting activities that really does hold his interest, thereby allowing your children the opportunity to enjoy all of the benefits that can come in playing sports.
