Youth and Teens who are part of competitive team sports learn early on how to balance a fulfilling schedule. They have practice, training, and performance plus school, family time, and a social life. Seems like a lot to take on, but a positive attitude and realistic scheduling can make it all possible. Often it’s the parents and guardians who face the greatest challenge.
It’s difficult to wrap your mind around everything your children do, and worry whether you’re providing your children with the best opportunities. Particularly if your own childhood didn’t include a sports focus. Here are some tips on how your family can create balance between academics, school, extracurricular activities (like cheer sport!), and a social life.
Priorities have to be sorted, and solid. School comes first, of course! Ensuring that your athlete has enough time to complete homework and study is a must. Schedule it in there along with your practice and competition times in your calendar. If your child is a morning person, schedule homework before school when it regards a project that isn’t immediately due. Help your child understand priorities, why school is so important, and when it’s okay to say no to some invitations to do something fun because you have school work to take care of. It might be possible to coordinate study sessions and homework get-togethers with other members of the team to encourage each other, depending on individual work habits.
Reward good habits and hard work, even if grades aren’t in the top percentages. Cheer Sport Shark coaches can tell you first-hand how much more motivated our athletes remain to better themselves if small victories are celebrated, even if the team doesn’t win the competition. If you are concerned about grade levels, talk to teachers about developing a stronger understanding for the subjects they struggle with, and look into tutoring.
Sports of all kinds are a ton of fun, whether they are competitive or recreational, solo or team activities, and it’s easy to want to pour all of your free time into them! Understanding the benefits of a well-rounded life may help your child understand why it’s important to your family that they pass on a teammate’s birthday celebration to go to Grandma’s house instead. Help them see that your family is as much a team as their sports team is a family!
Is there any time left out of the home, outside classroom walls, and off the blue mat? You bet! And how an athlete uses that time is equally important. Athletes need the opportunity to spend time exploring their individual interests outside of school and athletics, and part of that my include hanging out with classmates and/or teammates. It may mean going to the mall with their big sister, or curling up with a book. It might even include a part-time job. While you don’t want to schedule every activity, it’s important to provide your child with the opportunity for free time.
Balance works best with open communication. Encourage your child to speak up, to you, to their teachers, and to their coaches, when they’re feeling stressed, tired, or unsure of themselves. That way they can let you know if the balance you think you’ve got scheduled is working for them – and the rest of your family – or if adjustments need to be made before the next big test or competition. Talk to your child’s coach, and other parents and guardians, for ideas on how to successfully balance a busy schedule.
Cheer Sport Sharks throws the best birthday parties! Take the stress out of birthday planning this year by booking with us. Take a look at our packages here, and call your local gym to book.
