How do you keep kids motivated to continue when they aren’t the top of a team?
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Anonymous
| Tips needed. Have a young for the grade kid and could use some help or words to tell them to keep them motivated when they are usually in the bottom in ability. |
Anonymous
| Continue in the season or the sport? I wouldn't push them to continue in the sport if they don't want to. If it is the season, I would just sympathize and say it sucks but to try to find some value in the rest of the season, even if that value is just social or setting personal goals. If the coach isn't good then that does make it worse. |
Anonymous
| I think motivation is internal. If your DC isn’t motivated, they might be ready to move on. Obviously the team needs kids who aren’t “the top,” but what is your kid getting out of it? Why do you want them to stick with it (after the current commitment)? Is there another way to get that - another activity, sport, etc.? |
Anonymous
| By you stop making excuses for your kid |
Anonymous
| It is a good lesson for kids to know that they are not always the best at what they are doing and learn how to handle things with grace. I would have a discussion about doing their best and not giving up. The child should be ok as long as they are not completely out of their skill / comfort zone. |
Anonymous
| How old is your kid? I expected my kids to motivate themselves starting around 13ish, but we began having conversations about goals earlier. Those conversations were along the lines of (not necessarily in this order): 1. Do you want to play in HS? 2. What do you like most about playing and 3. Do you want to continue to play. Our kids answers to those questions helped us figure out what teams we should pursue and how much/little extra training to invest in. Their answers changed over time to the point where one kid really wanted to make a serious run of playing in HS/college and the other wanted to drop back and play on more of a house/rec type of team. I think it’s important for parents to keep checking in with their kids on their goals instead of assuming your goals are what they want. If you do this, you put the kid in the drivers seat re motivation to work (or not). |
Anonymous
| Make goals. You don't have to be the best, but a goal to be better Youngest for the grade means that he will be close to 2 years younger starting in high school. I would think about redshirting now. |
Anonymous
| Tryout got another team. It can be a confidence boost and your kid could be on a top team somewhere else. It might be a better fit |
Anonymous
| We are in this situation. Continuing to go but not putting in all the energy like we used to. Also we are increasing our time spent on other important things. |
Anonymous
What excuses am I making? |