From the perspective of any dad, it can be quite a stereotypical thing, being into sports. If you are into sports, no doubt your partner might think that it’s not a particularly suitable family activity, but if sports are something you love you might think it to be the best opportunity to share your passion with your children. But, for all the people that think this is a great thing, there are others that deem sports to be a waste of time. So should we get our children into it or is it going to result in a major disagreement between you and your partner?
Try not to make it a sport that you love
Having an appreciation of sports isn’t just about sitting in the living room idly shouting at Chelsea, it’s about making the most of a fantastic atmosphere in the biggest stadium in the world, and getting into the camaraderie of it all. As such, if you choose something that’s your passion anyway, no doubt your partner is going to think that you have your own agenda. Instead, expose your child to a various smorgasbord of sports. That way, they can choose the sport they want to get into. And from there, you can accompany them to events. Perhaps they just like playing sports, in which case, there is nothing wrong with you being on the sidelines cheering them on.
Sports isn’t a bad thing
Some people grew up not liking sports at all, and think that it’s a waste of time. But if you’ve got a partner that’s not so keen, it might be worth pointing out the benefits of playing and watching sports. It isn’t just cheering someone on, there’s a sense of community in watching a sport together, and if you and your child enjoy going to sports and events, it’s proper bonding time. If it’s something you both love, you are going to cement a relationship much stronger than two people who are forced to go to something together to appease the other. We see this numerous times when a child wants to go do something that the parent doesn’t, and vice versa.
Expanding both our comfort zones
If you both like the same sport, that’s great! But if your daughter is into women’s football and you haven’t given it the time of day, perhaps now is the perfect opportunity? Remember, children learn by the examples that we set. And if we are stubborn enough to not want to expand our sports knowledge or education in general, then we are going to have a battle on our hands further down the line. It’s far better that your child shows a natural aptitude for a sport that you couldn’t care less about, even if it is snooker, you’d better go full throttle into it!
As most of us tend to watch sports on our devices now, it’s become a very solitary activity. And while there are plenty of benefits to playing sports, physically and mentally, we can’t underestimate the benefits of watching sports. And when you are watching sports with a family member, especially your child, you will reap many benefits!
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