A coach and referee got into a fight in front of children who had come to play football, not watch two adults lose their tempers.Both men later apologized, but what kind of example were they setting?We hear plenty about how soft kids have become.
They can't handle losing, expect trophies for showing up and need constant praise.But as a psychotherapist, I wonder whether we've been blaming the wrong people.
Maybe the problem isn't that children can't handle disappointment.Maybe it's that their parents can't stand watching them experience it.CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGESpend a Saturday at a youth sporting event and you'll see parents screaming at referees and treating a missed call like a personal insult.
A father tells his son to stop making excuses after striking out, then berates the umpire.A mother tells her daughter to be a good sport, then complains that the coach didn't give her enough playing time.These are often the same people complaining that America is raising a generation of wimps.
Yet the moment a referee makes a call they don't like, they behave like toddlers.A parent who would punish his child for screaming at a teacher may have no problem screaming at a referee.He sees nothing wrong with it because he believes he's standing up for his kid.
But defending your child doesn't give you a free pass to behave like a bully.YOUTH FOOTBALL COACHES FIGHTING & ACTING LIKE FOOLS IN PENNSYLVANIA ISN'T THE LEAST BIT SHOCKINGFor some parents, their child's athletic success has become tied to their own self-esteem.When the child wins, they feel successful.When the child loses, they feel embarrassed.
A father who never made varsity may see his son's benching as another personal rejection.The child is playing a game, but the parent is still trying to settle something from 25 years ago.Your child's athletic career isn't a second chance at your own.
If you didn't make varsity in high school, screaming at your son's Little League coach isn't going ...