While no sports parent ever sets out to be “braggy-parent” when it comes to talking about their kid, we all know somebody who fits the mold and boasts non-stop about their kid at the expense of talking about the rest of the team. Of course, it’s never a bad thing to be proud of your child’s accomplishments, but it’s also important to display your pride through modesty and humility. Unfortunately, when braggart sports parents regularly talk up their kids, it not only turns off other parents, but can even lead to problems with overall team chemistry.
Simple tips to help
In an effort to help parents minimize bragging, while at the same time maximize sportsmanship, a few quick tips and ideas are presented below:
Do
- Talk about your child’s team whenever possible! For example, talking about your current team winning streak comes across a lot better than bragging about only your child’s accomplishments.
- Talk about your child’s efforts rather than results. For example, telling friends about how hard your son is working this summer is a lot more interesting than boasting about how many home runs he has hit this season.
- Talk about the overall efforts made by other kids on the team, as well as the coaches. Mentioning to others how well the kids get along, or the dedication shown by your child’s coaches, sounds much better than only talking up your child’s individual contributions.
Do not
- Do not boast about your child’s statistics, or how far he hit a ball, or how many touchdowns he scored. If your child is talented, everyone will already know.
- Do not talk only about your child and at the expense of mentioning the efforts of others on the team. For example, starting out conversations like “My kid led the team to victory” can be improved upon by saying “All of the kids played hard and led us to victory!”
- Do not use words like “dominating” “awesome” “unstoppable” and “unbelievable,” or ask in amazement “Did you just see that?!” when talking about your child. If others talk to you about your child in this way, simply thank them for the very kind words instead of emphatically agreeing with them.
Final thoughts
While it is normal for parents to want to talk about their kids, it is important to make sure you are not outwardly bragging when there are other, more humble ways to express your feelings. The good news is if your child is good at something, it is likely everyone already knows, leaving you no reason to have to brag. Be a great role model for your kids by supporting the team, praising all the kids on the team, and being appreciative when others talk to you about your child’s talents and abilities.
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