Do you have a sports kid who excels in practice, but freezes up during games?
Does your sports kid criticize herself or himself for making mistakes?
As soon as your young athlete has goofed up during a game or competition, does he or she freeze up and play it safe?
If you’ve answered yes, you’ve got a perfectionist sports kid, and it’s a good idea to take action to help them.
As a mom to three young athletes, I’ve seen first hand what perfectionism can do to sports kids. In fact, I’ve even committed the awful mental game no-no of fueling my young athlete’s perfectionism by pointing out his mistakes.
So, what’s a sports parent supposed to do with a perfectionist?
First of all, recognize that perfectionists possess qualities that are positive and gain the respect of coaches. They work hard and always show up to practice on time.
But understand that perfectionism has a big downside. These kids are their own worst enemies because they’re afraid of failing and play it too safe during games and competitions.
Begin by helping your young athletes identify their perfectionist traits… those mentioned above.
Don’t fuel their perfectionism by pointing out mistakes or suggesting that they try to be perfect.
Instead, give them a break—and help them give themselves a break. Tell them it’s okay to make mistakes. That’s how kids learn and grow! Help them focus more on the process and less on the score or win.
Check out our video of the week, How To Manage Perfectionism In Athletes
In fact, we’ve got a great program for perfectionists and their parents. It’s called “Sports Parents’ Top Dilemma: Helping Young Athletes Kick Perfectionism and Fear of Failure.”
You’ll learn everything you need to do to ensure you’re not fueling your kid’s perfectionism—and everything young athletes need to do to kick perfectionist thinking!