Don't Watch Practice

Sports Girls Play encourages parents to leave their children at sports practice and go run errands. I completely agree, not to mention that for $60 the child gets several months of exercise and you get a babysitter. What a bargain.

As a coach I have always recommended that parents NOT watch every single practice . . . I often compare sitting and watching sports practices to sitting in your child’s classroom all day everyday – would you really do it? The practice field, gym, pool, studio, etc are also your child’s classroom. Parents watching every practice are distracting to the kids – and it is very difficult for you as a parent not to get wrapped up in the moment to moment actions of your child. When you watch just at competitions or watch for one part of practice every few weeks or so, you can see the learning that has occurred – you can’t see it when you are involved in it daily.

Visit Sports Girls Play for more great reasons to run errands or get your own exercise.