Being a Better Tennis Parent Part 2: DO’s and DON’Ts
Part 2: DO’s and DON’Ts
- DO focus on conduct and performance
- DO reward effort ahead of success
- DO promote the perspective that tennis is only a sport; emphasising its value as a preparation for life
- DO try to understand and have empathy with the emotional pressures and the complexity of the sport
- DO give your children tasks and responsibilities which will in time, build self confidence and independence
- DO emphasise the important elements of sportsmanship, ethics, personal development, responsibility and a positive attitude towards others
- DO let your child know you care and are there if they need you to help them
- DO be prepared to listen and learn
- DON’T focus only on outcomes
- DON’T reward only results
- DON’T make tennis bigger than life by for instance, placing more importance on tennis than school work
- DON’T underestimate the stresses of an individual sport like tennis.
- DON’T make them overly dependent on you
- DON’T allow training and competition to become a negative experience for you or your child
- DON’T become over involved in your child’s tennis
- DON’T think that you know everything about tennis
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