What Am I Teaching My Son If I Let Him Quit Playing Sports Just Because He’s Afraid of the Ball?

by | Mar 7, 2017 | Boys, Boys and sports, Bullying, Coaching kids and teens, Kids who are afraid to play sports, Kids who don't like sports, Male athletics, Masculinity, Nonathletic boys, Parent-Child communication, Parenting, Self-esteem, Sportsmanship

 

You are teaching him…

  1. that you respect him, even if you don’t understand his choices.

  2. that you will listen closely to what he says and take it at face value.

  3. that it pays to speak up.

  4. that he doesn’t have to disguise his real feelings in order to gain or sustain your approval.

  5. that you will never put your need for him to be a certain kind of boy or athlete ahead of his need to feel heard, safe and supported.

That’s what you’re teaching him. That’s good stuff.