{"id":4735,"date":"2017-09-14T17:50:54","date_gmt":"2017-09-14T17:50:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=4735"},"modified":"2025-07-10T07:56:29","modified_gmt":"2025-07-10T11:56:29","slug":"how-parents-can-encourage-kids-without-pressure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-parents-can-encourage-kids-without-pressure\/","title":{"rendered":"How Parents Can Encourage Kids Without Pressure"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-4739\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/how-parents-can-encourage-kids-without-pressure.jpg\" alt=\"Encouraging Sports Kids\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/how-parents-can-encourage-kids-without-pressure.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/how-parents-can-encourage-kids-without-pressure-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Avoid_Pressuring_Young_Athletes\"><\/span>How to Avoid Pressuring Young Athletes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-parents-can-encourage-kids-without-pressure\/#How_to_Avoid_Pressuring_Young_Athletes\" >How to Avoid Pressuring Young Athletes<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-parents-can-encourage-kids-without-pressure\/#Pushing_kids_too_hard_at_a_young_age_will_cause_them_to_feel_pressure_which_can_lead_to_under_performance\" >Pushing kids too hard at a young age will cause them to feel pressure, which can lead to under performance.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-parents-can-encourage-kids-without-pressure\/#Pressure_is_the_main_reason_70_of_children_quit_sports_by_the_age_of_13\" >Pressure is the main reason 70% of children quit sports by the age of 13!<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-parents-can-encourage-kids-without-pressure\/#Related_Articles_on_Youth_Sports\" >Related Articles on Youth Sports:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-parents-can-encourage-kids-without-pressure\/#Help_Young_Athletes_Boost_Confidence_in_Sports\" >Help Young Athletes Boost Confidence in Sports!<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>A sports parent asks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>&#8220;When should children be encouraged to push through the hard times and when is it okay for them to just take a break?&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At a certain point in your children\u2019s athletic careers, all parents must ask themselves this question&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you push your children too hard, you risk taking the fun out of the game for them, possibly prompting them to <strong>quit.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, you want to <strong>encourage<\/strong> them to try their hardest when things get tough&#8211;to be <strong>resilient<\/strong> and not give up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pushing_kids_too_hard_at_a_young_age_will_cause_them_to_feel_pressure_which_can_lead_to_under_performance\"><\/span>Pushing kids too hard at a young age will cause them to feel pressure, which can lead to under performance.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>They\u2019ll worry about what you as parents think instead of being in the moment and focusing on their immediate play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They might second-guess themselves and avoid making mistakes, which will hurt their confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pressure_is_the_main_reason_70_of_children_quit_sports_by_the_age_of_13\"><\/span>Pressure is the main reason 70% of children quit sports by the age of 13!<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t want your kids to join the ranks of the majority, be cautious about how you handle this situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First, you need to assess if your kids\u2019 current coach or team is hurting their <strong>confidence<\/strong> in some way. If so, it makes sense to take a break or find a new team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You don\u2019t want your kids to lose <strong>confidence<\/strong> due to a bad coach or negative team culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If, however, your kids want to take a break because they are on a losing team, or don\u2019t want to work so hard, or are afraid to take risks (out of fear of failure), you may want to encourage them to stick with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Encourage your kids to get out of their <strong>comfort zone<\/strong> and to overcome situations that are difficult\u2014whether it\u2019s a rainy season or a few tough games&#8211;this is a life lesson for them!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If they\u2019re <strong>perfectionists,<\/strong> they may be afraid of <strong>failure.<\/strong> Help them identify <strong>high expectations<\/strong> and ask them to <strong>focus<\/strong> on what\u2019s happening here-and-now, not on the score or their stats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Give them a few &#8220;get out of jail&#8221; cards that make them feel more comfortable making mistakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Again, don\u2019t pressure or punish them; just give them tips that will help them push through the hard times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One great way to help kids enjoy sports more is to give them pregame strategies to boost their confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"related-articles-on-hockey-mental-game\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Articles_on_Youth_Sports\"><\/span>Related Articles on Youth Sports:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/anxiety-and-depression-in-sports-kids\/\"><strong>Anxiety and Depression in Sports Kids<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/teaching-kids-courage-resilience-and-character-through-sports\/\"><strong>Teaching Kids Courage, Resilience and Character Through Sports<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/parents-helping-sports-kids-return-to-sports-after-injury\/\"><strong>Parents: Helping Sports Kids Return to Sports After Injury<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-f49818fa-7c7a-4ee3-b5ee-66581aad2c71\">*Subscribe to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/sports-psychology-podcast-by-peaksports-com\/id152566009\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0on iTunes<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Help_Young_Athletes_Boost_Confidence_in_Sports\"><\/span>Help Young Athletes Boost Confidence in Sports!<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/ultimate-sports-parent-small.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/ultimate-sports-parent-small.jpg\" alt=\"The Ultimate Sports Parent\" class=\"wp-image-11157\" style=\"width:167px;height:auto\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Every day, we receive letters from parents like you who want their children and teens to excel in sports. However, these parents can <strong>see fear, doubt, and frustration on the faces of their kids<\/strong> who struggle with the \u201cinner\u201d game of sports. But these parents have no idea how to help their kids <strong>overcome the worries, expectations and self-defeating thoughts<\/strong> that prevent their young athletes from feeling confident and successful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can benefit from our 1<strong>5-plus years\u2019 of work in sports psychology and sports parenting research<\/strong>. Now, you can <strong>tap into our secrets to sports success<\/strong> through a cutting-edge, 14-day program that helps young athletes overcome the top \u201cmental game\u201d challenges that sports parents face\u2014and the top <strong>challenges young athletes face<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-fbab03ed\">\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-fa7bf2e7 gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/ultimate-sports-parent-workbook-cd-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">GET DETAILS<\/a>\n\n\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-33bcee1d gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/shop.peaksports.com\/products\/the-ultimate-sports-parent-digital\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">BUY NOW<\/a>\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How to Avoid Pressuring Young Athletes A sports parent asks: &#8220;When should children be encouraged to push through the hard times and when is it okay for them to just take a break?&#8221; At a certain point in your children\u2019s athletic careers, all parents must ask themselves this question&#8230; If &#8230; <a title=\"How Parents Can Encourage Kids Without Pressure\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-parents-can-encourage-kids-without-pressure\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about How Parents Can Encourage Kids Without Pressure\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4738,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,19,17,292,6],"tags":[96,301],"class_list":["post-4735","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pressure-from-parents","category-pressure-in-sports","category-sports-parenting","category-sports-parents-success-tips","category-youth-sports-psychology-blog","tag-pressure-from-sports-parents","tag-pressure-in-youth-sports"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4735","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4735"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4735\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4738"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4735"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4735"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4735"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}