There were days when the only recreational activities available for the children were the ones outdoors. There was no cable, only doordarshan channel which cater to the child’s need only on weekends. Computer games were not easily accessible. I remember myself getting 10 Rs for video games to be played in the video parlor nearby once in a week. We had a group of cousins and friends who use to climb up trees for fruits, played cricket on bets for a chocolate and lots more but today if given the opportunity, the kid of today would rather sit and play his favorite TV game. All this is making children lose interest in sports which is very integral part of child’s growth.
Symptoms your child is not interested in sports.
1. A child with sports-related performance anxiety tends to worry excessively. He/she may suffer from persistent anxiety.
2. He/she may retreat info a shell and complain constantly of being tired.
3. He/she may freeze from fear of ridicule for failure just before a sporting event.
4. He/she may throw tantrums; have nightmares and also problems at school.
WHY THE FEAR OF SPORTS?
Sometimes when parents have been average in sports they want their children to excel in it. They put extra pressure on kids and sometimes this pressure makes the kid lose interest in the sports. Parents sometime already decide on what their children will choose as careers like next tennis star or cricket star. So they push their child into it without knowing what interest their child.
Pushing themselves make them loose interest in other sports too.
ENCOURAGE THEM
With so much emphasis on academics, we cannot ready blame ourselves when we look at school-level sports as a ticket to college. If a child excels in a particular sport and plays it at the district or the State level, those extra marks could stand him in very good stead if he is just an average student. Universities abroad too tend to favor a student who has done well in sports.
Performance anxiety in children is fast becoming a major health concern all over the world, as children struggle to meet their parents sporting expectations of them. Up to the age of twelve or thirteen, children long for their parent’s approval. They will go to considerable lengths to get a word of praise or a rewarding cuddle. However, when it comes to sports, they may face insurmountable limitations. After all, each of us has a different makeup in terms of physical coordination. Secondly, children always perform best at what they really like. Observe your child’s preferences in sports and encourage him/her to try various sports out. Make the
necessary equipment available. Volunteer some of your free time to participate. Never criticize poor performance.
Even after trying everything the child does not get interested in sports then probably it’s not his cup of tea. Don’t force him and encourage him what is.