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On Parenting: The Right Way of Handling Sports for My Kid

children playing sports

There’s nothing more exciting than watching your bundle of joy throw a kick at the ball for soccer or glide confidently in the skating rink for hockey; indeed, watching your kids participate in a sport is such a positive experience. It’s never bad to be a stage mom or dad as long as you do not overdo it.

As parents, there will be times when our kids will deem us insensitive. As much as we don’t want to be one, our very own emotions, even dreams and goals, may get in the way and may cause us to forget about the sensitivity of our children. And when it comes to sports, this usually happens.

For many parents, sports is more than just a way to provide health benefits for our kids. Sports may be their way of pushing their kids to socialize or in some situations, sports is an avenue for their kids to excel. Usually, if this is the case, parents can become a little too pushy about playing.

If you feel that you might be becoming too much of a pushy stage parent, then you’ve come to the right place. Here, we will provide a guide for you to use in your journey of parenting.

sports pressure on kids

Parenting and Sports Tips

  • Listen to your kid.

One of the most important things you should do as parents is to listen to your kid. First and foremost, talk to them about how they feel towards sports. Ask them if they want to participate or not. If they do not, talk to them why. Furthermore, you may explain more about sports in order to persuade them to give it a try (that is if you really want them to join). However, always remember to be gentle to your little ones and never force them to do something they are uncomfortable of doing.

  • Explain how sports games work.

If your kids are into sports and are truly excited to be part of the team, you still need to talk to them and explain how sports games work. Explain about the possibilities of winning and losing; moreover, give advantages and disadvantages of being a winner or otherwise.

It’s also important to emphasize commitment to games; that is, give your kids an overview on how it will take some of their time for practice. Other than this, explain how teamwork and their attitude towards the other players will affect them.

  • Give your kid a break.

Don’t push your kid to work too hard in sports. Never pressure your kids to win the final games or even the minor ones. And if they’ve worked their butts off, give them a break. Reward them positively for working hard despite whatever results they attained.

  • Support your kid.

One of the best things you can do, as a parent, is to be supportive. There are plenty of ways to show support to your kids. Bringing them to their practice is one and signing them up for sports lessons is another. You may support them by making sure they have the right sports equipment; if your kid is playing hockey, you can show your support by ensuring your kids’ hockey gear. Other ways of supporting may include attending their games or practices, giving them pep talks, etc.

Bottom Line

It’s not enough to just know the essential things for our babies; we must also know what our children need as they grow up. Very importantly, we must be an understanding and considerate parent. Even if you dream of seeing your child holding the championship title; witnessing your children doing their best should already be enough. Never make them feel that their best isn’t good enough. And if you want to encourage them harder, don’t do it abruptly. As previously mentioned, be firm but gentle.

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Essential Things Every Parents Must Have for Their Babies

important baby essentials

Being a parent is one of the toughest challenges in life. Taking care of a child is not a joke as it entails serious time and effort from caregivers. As parents, there are a lot of sacrifices you need to make for your kids. Not only will you lose sleep over crying babies, you will also need to invest in some important things to make your parenting life more livable.

Buying Baby Essentials

Although it’s not impossible to survive parenting without these essential baby stuff, investing in them will make a difference and it’s a good one too. These essential products will help you save time and effort whenever you take care of your baby. In addition, these things will also secure the baby’s comfort and safety. Simply put, these products will make your parenting life and your baby’s life much easier.

So, without further delay, let us check out the list of some baby essentials that every parent must have inside their home.

List of the Essentials

  • Soothing Sound Machine

As you turn into parents, you’ll realize that one of the best moments in life is when your highly-active child is fast asleep. During this time, the house is calm, peaceful, and free from crying and shouting. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy to put a baby to sleep. However, with the help of a soothing sound machine that is usually tucked in stuffed toys, your baby will fall asleep faster.

  • High chair or booster seat

It’s quite difficult to feed babies while placing them on chairs that are intended for adults. Chances are, they’ll be twirling around the seat. This is why a high chair is necessary; here, your baby snuggly fits and can even be locked in for safety. Most high chairs will also come with their own table which can be a good place to place the baby’s food, drinks, or even toys.

An alternative to high chair are booster chairs which you simply attach to your dining table; this makes it easier for the baby to join in the family table easily.

taking care of kids

  • Baby’s crib

To free yourself from following your baby all over the place, a crib would be perfect. Simply put your baby inside the crib and you can easily go on with your chores. Just make sure the crib is safe and secure for your baby.

  • Baby carrier and stroller

It’s not that pleasant to have a trip at malls or parks without a baby carrier or stroller. Chances are, your arms will grow super tired as you carry around your baby for hours. That being said, make sure you get yourself a baby carrier and/or stroller of great quality. To find the cheapest carriers that won’t break the bank check out Kokopax Review of the Mission Critical Baby Carrier. As for strollers, this might be useful if your baby is quite heavy to carry around.

  • Potty trainer

It’s very important for early toddlers to have potty training. This way, they won’t rely much on diapers. This is also a way to make them feel independent and kids love that. Some parents have even ventured into potty training their babies from birth; however, if you don’t feel comfortable doing that, you may start potty training them at the age of 2.

  • Bibs, table mats, and floor mats.

Babies can get real messy when having their meals. Thus, it’s important for them to wear a bib that will keep the food stains away from their clothing. If they have their own little space to eat in, table mats as well as floor mats should also be used for easier cleaning. This way, parents won’t have to spend extra time cleaning the floor or table.

  • Safety gate

With kids around, you might also have to decorate your home once more. If you have stairs at home, a safety gate is important to help babies avoid climbing up and down the stairs by themselves.  Also for areas such as the kitchen, you might want to install a safety gate as well. Furthermore, you may also make use of baby gates or railings to create a little space for your kids that is safe for playing around.