Athletes around the world are home from school and largely stuck inside the house or surrounding area because of the coronavirus, which has put families into new, stressful and exciting situations.

Yet for parents it’s rough due to the school closures and stay-at-home orders in addition to all other restrictions and distractions that have brought a unique set of challenges. This new routine is aimed to make sure athletes thrive on a home-schooled routine, ensuring school work packets and sport packages sent home from their respective coach and/or schools are complete with the help from their parents, siblings or guardians.

For the concerned parent, the stress is real. Spending additional time with their kids in addition to the continued need for nurture on a daily basis and creating a structured plan for engagement can be overwhelming. Typically these duties are shared with the child’s coaches and teachers. Parents are now filling the role of coach and teacher and must challenge and push their kids to achieve athletically and academically when previously maybe only an outside voice of authority could get the best out of them. A quick Google search reveals most parents are having trouble keeping their kids on schedule because they are confused about the uncertainty of what their child needs now.

Parents, this is a crucial time to get back on track with your kids, become one with them, make them feel wanted, show them you care and change your child’s feeling of being disoriented from the normal routine because the situation we are faced with can be a long-term one.

Tips for Parents to Help Kids Return to School/Practice Following the Pandemic

To help you navigate during this time, in addition to making it easier on the teacher/coach when your child returns to school or practice, here are some tips:

1. Make fun a priority through educational learning and sport-specific games on a local field or backyard; that’s social distancing.
2. Become a role model, teach them what to do when faced with tough circumstances.
   
3. Increase mental awareness/dexterity through challenging games and mental stimulation activities.
   
4. Talk about life success and failures; give guidance for today.
   
5. Encourage teamwork.
   
6. Develop communication techniques; teach them how to be a vocal leader.
   
7. Teach positivity; every athlete gets down.
   
8. Time for an attitude adjustment; this is the best time to fix it.
   
9. Record your athletes—you won’t regret it. You will be able to talk with them about it later.
   
10. Help them build trust in you, themselves, their teammates and coaches.
11. Reward them, it works the best.
12. Limit the screen time, there are better things to do.
13. Talk about true friendships!
14. Encourage entrepreneurship (help them with a business plan or an Individual Development Plan because sports won’t last forever.
15. Teach them what the world will look like after the pandemic is over.
16. Inform them about the importance of good hygiene.

Photo Credit: AzmanL/iStock

READ MORE:

How to Talk to Young Athletes About Coronavirus