I continue to process the unfortunate athletic experiences of so many kids. Have you ever stepped back from the sidelines to watch what’s happening outside the white lines?!? Do your kids play on fields bordered by sidelines made up of screaming and yelling parents? Are those parents spewing pressures onto the field that push away the fun element that should be central to play? Are we teaching our kids that winning trumps character development? Are we, in fact, undermining the healthy growth and development of our kids on the altar of skills, scholarships, and victory? Are we living vicariously through our kids?
I was thinking. . . what if we just let our kids play? And would anything change if we posted a sign like this on the entrance to every youth playing field in our country? . . .
