How to respond when your child doesn’t want to continue with their sport
The start of a new year often is a time of revaluation and reflection, and this often includes kid’s sports. Many families may be considering whether to commit to another season or are discovering that their child no longer wants to play their usual sport. So what does the research tell us about how to navigate this situation.
The research is clear that organised sport is beneficial for kids including:
promotes health and fitness
builds life skills such as team work, resilience, dealing with frustration and disappointment, resolving conflicts and goal setting
promotes social connectedness contributing to a sense of belonging and social identity
protects against anxiety and depression
However the research also tells us that participation rates in organised sport tends to peak towards the end of primary school, and there is significant decline in participation across adolescence.
The reason for this is complex, however some contributing factors include:
a focus on one sport over another
prioritising involvement in other activities (such as school, work, or socialising)
pressure from others (such as parents/carers, coaches and peers)
So what can parents/carers do if their child wants to quit. There is no simple answer as each child is unique but here are some things to consider:
talk to your child - be curious about why they no longer like the sport. Is there anything that would need to change for them to continue? Maybe exploring what it is that they do like about the sport might help shift their focus to what they do like about the sport or help find a solution.
reflect on your own behaviour - is it possible that you might be inadvertently putting too much pressure on your child. You may need to work with other adults in the kids life to develop plan and reduce expectations.
consider other options - not all kids like competitive sports so maybe they would prefer to participate in a non-competitive sport, for example, our local PCYC offers a recreational gymnastics program
At the end of the day, the hope is that our kids develop a positive relationship and enjoyment of movement so they can take the physical health, mental health and social benefits with them throughout life.