As a parent, there are fewer joys greater than having your child share the same hobbies and interests as you. You start imagining all the possibilities of many feel-good moments bonding over a shared love, spending afternoons together working on the same skill and talent. This is no different for those who have football as their main hobby. They wish to be able to enjoy football matches together, watch and support their favourite teams, discuss football news and happenings, dissect strategies and gameplay, and of course, see their child playing football well. Here are a few ways on how you can nurture a love for football for your kids!
Start early
As with any learnable skill or talent, it is crucial to recognise the makings of a football player in your child as early as possible, in order to start the training and nurturing process to fulfill their full potential. This can be done starting the early stages of childhood, such as letting your child explore kicking and passing a ball to you, having regular conversations about football and letting them join in on the fun watching football matches on TV. Even a toddler can learn how to move a ball around, and you can start to slowly introduce the concept and activity of play into their lives. As your child grows older, they would be no stranger to the football world as they slowly gain the knowledge and learn about the game through repeated exposure to the sport in their very early stages.
Remember that at this age, football should not be something that has strict rules and expectations associated with it, but rather a natural form of play that children can easily partake in and have an overall positive experience. Though you may likely be over-eager in pushing the football experience as best as you can onto your child, it will not nurture a healthy relationship between the game and your kid as they would feel imposed upon and pressured. Try to keep things as light and as unstructured as possible in these early years.
Watch football games together
Watching the game is a great bonding experience for many football lovers as fans gather around the screen in homes, enjoy good food and laughter while supporting their favourite teams. If possible, try to let your child join in on the fun as well! While screening a football match may be simple, it is certainly an activity that encourages the love of the sport for many, as they are able to soak in the atmosphere of the field, as well as feel the communal spirit of gathering around the TV with fellow fans and letting their hair down. Introducing the joy of watching a good match, being on the edge of your seat, the cheering and dismay following victory and defeat, would be core football memories for your child to keep, which would inculcate their love for the sport.
If it is feasible, you can even consider bringing your child along for live matches at different levels, such as school, local, national and international games! There is nothing like watching the real deal in person.
Provide adequate support for your child
Besides growing a love for football in your kids, it is also crucial to recognise their needs in regard to their growth and development in the realm of the sport. This means being attentive to your child’s progress over the years, identifying their strengths and weaknesses, providing timely advice and coaching to your best ability, and also engaging professional football coaches to help train your child. While it is important to encourage your kid to love football by exposure to the culture and practices, it is also essential that you provide concrete measures to support their pursuit of the sport, which would build an environment that naturally promotes and nurture a passion for the sport.
There are plenty of resources for football moms and dads online, from guides to understanding the sport for beginners, to suggested nutrition plans that will be beneficial to children’s physical development, advice from fellow football parents for common issues, and much more. There are also plenty of academies and coaches that offer courses and training plans like ours that you can contact to provide further support for your child.
Be their biggest cheerleader
When your child starts on their football journey seriously, they will need all the encouragement and support they can get, and as a parent, you will be the main person they go to. Learning a sport and training for it is very exhausting, and it is very physically, mentally and emotionally demanding, not to mention the large amount of time that needs to be dedicated to the sport. Don’t forget the fact that your child will need to focus on other things in their life as well, including schooling, spending time with their friends and family, having the opportunity to rest and relax properly, and so on.
As a parent, it is easy to go overboard in pushing your kid to give their 100% and more for football, while also demanding that they do well in all the other aspects of the life. This may potentially be harmful for your child, as they would be facing immense pressure on many fronts, and their parent nagging them about football would not be any more helpful. Try to be mindful of how you interact with your child, and be a positive source of motivation, not a downer. This will continue the positive association they have with the sport, as it won’t be something their parent is forcing down their throats all the time. Celebrate their successes, comfort their losses, and always be a presence that they can depend on when they face ups and downs in the football journey. Support them at their matches, and show up for them whenever they call. They will definitely be grateful for all your efforts down the road.
Watching your child grow their love for a sport that you also adore is a wonderful feeling. Take things easy and fun, and be there for your child when they start on a lifelong journey that you have started on when you were younger as well. You can also participate in private football lessons where you can learn and play together with your child! Here’s to many great moments as a football family ahead!
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