I read an article by Asha Forster Grebenik this week titled “How to Coach Your Gymnast at Home” – it honestly should be required reading for all sports parents – feel free to substitute your child’s sport for the gymnastics references in the post – and for that matter all parents in general! From her post…

Your gymnast does gymnastics at home. All the time. In every room. And you’ve watched enough gymnastics to know that certain things she’s doing are incorrect. So how do you make these corrections at home? You don’t. Let me repeat that. Do. Not. Coach. Your. Child. At. Home. Nothing will make your child’s coach cringe internally more than hearing that you worked on x, y, or z at home. You are not her coach. Don’t do it. Don’t even tell her to point her toes.

As sports parents most of us are guilty of “trying” to help our athlete at home – we think we are helping – we think we know what they need to hear – but guess again. As sports parents our job is to get our kids to practice, support them at meets, keep them fueled, and be their biggest fan.

So next time you feel the urge to make a correction from the bleachers, in the car or in you own home – STOP – DON”T DO IT. Instead, give your athlete a hug and let her know you are so proud of all her hard work!