I DON ' T BELIEVE THAT CHILDREN CAN DEVELOP IN A HEALTHY WAY UNLESS THEY FEEL THAT THEY HAVE VALUE APART FROM ANYTHING THEY OWN OR ANY SKILL THAT THEY LEARN . THEY NEED TO FEEL THEY ENHANCE THE LIFE OF SOMEONE ELSE , THAT THEY ARE NEEDED . WHO , BETTER THAN PARENTS , CAN LET THEM KNOW THAT ?
-FRED ROGERS
THE ROLE OF THE PARENT
The role you play is more important than any job a club owner or coach has ! You are molding your child into the person he or she will become in life . You know your child best and here are tips for continuing to be their strongest support .
ASK ABOUT YOUR CHILD ’ S GOALS . Some athletes want to cheer in college or dance professionally . Once you know this , you can help create a plan to get them there . This may mean extra classes , private lessons or developing a plan with your athlete ’ s club owner or coach . If your child is involved in All Star primarily for enjoyment , you may want to facilitate ways to incorporate fun aspects . Ideas include camps , encouraging team friendships or attending open gyms and master classes . It ’ s important to know your child ’ s goals as they are not always same with yours .
BE AWARE . Adolescents deal with so much today . Be aware of your athlete ’ s mood , behavior changes and social media presence . Each of these can show signs of poor body image , abuse or mental illness . Your club owner should have access to resources provided by the USASF that cover athlete protection , nutrition and injury and illness prevention . The more supportive you are of your athlete , the more he / she will share with you . Encourage your athlete in all aspects of life and help him / her problem solve . Know that your club appreciates that you share your daughter or son with them . They could not create great athletes without your help in making them great people .
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