EVERYTHING
FOR YOUR FAMILY
Get In The Game
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It’s time for spring sign-ups! No matter the sport, almost all parents receive requests to volunteer their time. We know. You’re already overextended, trying to earn Little League points (snack bar money-changer or basepath umpire?) and can’t fit in one more obligation. Yet the work still needs to be done. What if you saw this plea for your time as an opportunity, not an obligation? Reflect on the goals you may have set at the beginning of the year… - Get in shape. - Spend more time with your kids. - Manage your schedule more efficiently. - Learn something new. Consider that you could do all these things just by getting involved. Maybe your dilemma isn’t that you’re being asked to coach or raise funds, but you spend hours each week waiting while your kids practice, play or take lessons. Only one chance Diana Christiansen, a healthcare consultant from Riverside, realized how much time was slipping away while she waited for her sons Trevor, 15, and Connor, 12, to take taekwondo. “Why am I just sitting here?” she thought. “I could take lessons, exercise and improve myself too.” Martial arts puts tremendous focus on personal and spiritual development as well as physical achievement. “The emphasis on goals, respect and integrity were things I had been working on and this allows me to develop them further.” “I thought it was great when she decided to join,” says Trevor. “It gave us a goal that we could work toward as a team.” Connor agrees, “I was really excited. It’s great to have someone to train. It reinforces my own progress when I help her.” Part of taekwondo is sparring. “It was strange hitting her at first,” Connor says. “I didn’t want to hurt her, but now it’s just fun.” Diana doesn’t hold back and neither does Trevor, “I love sparring with her,” he says. Trevor and Connor are now black belts and Diana is one step away from a recommended black belt. “This was a chance for me to go after something I always wanted to achieve,” says Diana, “My flexibility has returned to what it was in high school and I’ve found it just incredibly fun to play with them.” Being there According to ParentCenter.com, “There are tremendous benefits for getting involved in your child’s activities. This is an opportunity to share a common goal, learn something together, get physical and bond in a way that differs from your parent/child dynamic. In addition, you have an opportunity to just play, which is enormous fun for you and an indelible experience for your child.” Teacher Heidi Ober had a similar experience when she was asked to coach her son’s soccer team. “I was told I had to coach or he couldn’t play,” says Heidi. “Not playing was out of the question, so it was up to me to make it happen. I knew nothing about soccer, but since I was coaching an under-6 team, I thought we could learn together, and we did.” A 2000 Penn State University study, “Parents Making Youth Sports a Positive Experience,” contends, “Parents should play an important role in their children’s sports experiences. They can introduce their children to a sport by playing with them. During this time, sports should be focused on cooperative games that provide children a chance to explore their skills and talents and develop a sense of success.” Says Heidi: “I’ve now coached two years and refereed as well. I still don’t think I have tremendous knowledge, but I’m out there trying and my kids recognize that.” From ParentConnection.com: “Interacting with you is invaluable for your child. This time spent together offers priceless opportunities to learn and strengthen your bond. With you, your child will be at his best because he’s playing with someone he feels deeply connected to and someone he knows cares about him.” So don’t just sit on the sidelines! When you get in the game you can learn something new, bond with your child and get a great workout in the process. Susan Belknapp is a Riverside-based writer. |
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