Perhaps the proudest day of any parent’s (dad’s) life is the day their kid steps out onto that field/court/gymnastics pad for the first time ever. It’s the beginning of something special, a future that could include gold medals and championships, or at least a bonding point for father and child. But, even with the age limits on most participation sports, as well as the different levels of development that are unique with every child, many parents try to rush this day, forcing their kid into something that they simply aren’t ready for. And, though many studies point to team sports as something that is positive in child development, being forced into it early can have disastrous effects that follow your child around for the rest of their lives. So how do you know when your kid is ready? Here are just a few signs that may help you determine just that.
Does your Kid Get along with others?
Many children go through a long period of time when they simply don’t get along with others. Either they haven’t developed to a point where they understand that they need to be nice to others, or the lessons you’ve taught just haven’t set in yet(sorry); regardless of the reason, if they are going through this stage, you may want to get them beyond it before you put them into sports. Most sports organizations, though accommodating, do not tolerate it when kids cause overt nuisances in the gym, and you may find your child disciplined to the point where they just end up not liking it.
While it may be true that this could be a way for them to learn how to deal with other children—and I’d actually suggest sports as a cure to this if your child isn’t a complete loss at this point—it still might be a good idea to wait a year or two extra, just so they can learn how to deal with other children at school, before they are put in a competitive setting.
Can your child run, jump, etc.?
Though you may think your child is well-developed, it may be a good idea to wait until they can do basic physical activity before putting them into team sports. Now, this doesn’t mean they need to be a mini-LeBron—they’ll obviously learn how to be good at a sport while playing it—however, they do need to have some musculature, be able to run, and have a general ability to act out what others can do. Here is why. Even if they see sports as a way to have fun—and not an activity to win at—they still may get frustrated with their own failure if they can’t act out the basic foundations of sports. While frustration can be a learning tool, if they experience too much frustration, they might simply give up on it rather than continue to try. This is disastrous for a child’s developmental skill set, and something you want to avoid at all costs.
So, if your kid hasn’t yet learned to stand, walk, or run without a wobble, can’t seem to do more than one physical activity at once, or just seems lost when you try to teach them the skills you need, you should probably give them a year or two to catch up to others. It will be good for their self-esteem, and their development to boot. Here’s a good chart that may give you a good idea of when your child’s skillset will be diverse enough for sports.
Just remember, kids all develop at different speeds, and not all will be ready for sports at the same time. I understand that you are truly looking forward to the day where you can coach your son’s little league team, or show up at your daughter’s gymnastics tournament, but you really need to think about what’s good for them, rather than what’s good for you. Let them choose their sport, practice with them at home for as long as possible, and make sure they are absolutely ready to go out and be on a team. It’s a big commitment for them, and it should be a big one for you as well. Keep all of this in mind, and you will be just fine.
Tyler Fleck is a multi-purpose blogger writing on the behalf of Joel Baba’s School of Gymnastics. If your child is ready for team sports, and are interested in Gymnastics in levittown PA, visit their site for more information! Thanks for reading!
