Richard Rooney M.D, on Helping Your Child with Sports

There is no doubt that participation in sports can be an invaluable experience for children, but it also has the capacity to introduce a number of unhealthy practices and behaviors as well. As children grow up, sports become more and more competitive and in some cases, the increased competition can make it more dangerous. Access to performance-enhancing drugs is not unheard of in high school sports and possibly even earlier than that. This doesn't mean, however, that you can't raise your child to be competitive yet still maintain a healthy balance. Here are three ways to help your child maintain a healthy relationship with competitive sports.

Don't Define Success by Winning and Losing
Today, 1 in 5 children will struggle with obesity, just participating in sports alone can have a profound effect on a child's health and well-being. Exercise can also help children have an effective outlet for stress and help stave off childhood depression. If you help kids understand the many benefits of just participating in sports, it can help them understand there is great value in more than just winning.

Helps Them Learn to Deal With Failure
Losing is a major part of playing organized sports. No matter how successful a team or a player is, losing happens. It’s important your child knows how to properly deal with losing, and understands that it’s just a way to make improvements. While it can be difficult for some children to accept, as a parent, you want to help your child understand that losing is just a learning experience. Remember, however, if you get upset about them losing, it's not going to help them learn how to deal with it appropriately.

Use it as an Opportunity to Connect with Them
Another great way to take the emphasis off of winning and losing is to use it as an opportunity to create great memories. Whether it's taking them to practice, sitting in the stands at games or even spending hours practicing with them, sports can be a great way for you to connect with your kids. This may be even more valuable as they become teenagers, who naturally become more sullen and withdrawn. Some of the fondest memories many adults have are of bonding with their parents over some type of sports. If you make sports a fun experience for them, they are less likely to end up harming or endangering themselves in pursuit of winning.

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This article was originally published on richardrooneymd.org

About the Author

Richard Rooney M.D. is a board certified orthopaedic spine surgeon who works in Seattle, Washington at his own private practice. He resides in Seattle, WA with his wife and two sons. Throughout his career, Richard Rooney M.D. has distinguished himself as a renowned orthopaedic surgeon. He truly loves the immersive nature of his work and the fact that he's able to help people live better, less painful lives. Through his practice, Seattle Spine Group, Richard focuses on treatment for back pain, neck pain, radiculopathy, and sciatica. They recently introduced an entire spectrum of spine care and stem cell therapy care with a focus on disk replacement.
When Richard Rooney M.D. isn't busy at work as a spine surgeon, he likes to spend his time outdoors with his wife and sons, enjoying all the natural and manmade beauty that his home state of Washington has to offer.

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