When you have parents who they are also dealing with it swimming you have to be very careful, because your life can look like a minefield…. I'm afraid of disappointing my parents
Of course, your parents always want the best for you…
Swim well, be happy with your performance and have fun.
This desire from your parents may result in unwanted behavior on their part, such as giving advice from the stands.
This behavior adds stress and pressure to you and makes the sport less fun. Here you will find a behavior guide, not only for the swimmer but also for his parents.
PARENTS AND KIDS SWIMMERS
The child-parent bond is very strong. But the most crucial thing is that the child sees the parent as an endless and unconditional love and security. But when child swimmers begin to believe that love is based on how well they do in the water, negative emotions begin to affect their performance. The fear of disappointing our parents is deeply rooted and can cause endless stress. Of course, if you look at it logically, it has no basis. But since when are emotions based on logic…?
LET'S START WITH THE REASONS YOU DO THIS SPORT
This is a very good exercise to keep your mind balanced. When you complete it you will have something to motivate you and push you towards the right things in the pool. This exercise can also remind your loved ones that there are many reasons to swim that are not related to winning a medal. You have to ask yourself why you are swimming. Often when we are tired and frustrated it is because we have lost our purpose.
We are disconnected from our goal. Instead of training hard, having fun with our friends, and enjoying the benefits of the sport, we stress ourselves out by meeting other people's expectations of us. Grab a sticky note and write down the real reasons why you love a sport that requires endless hours of training in the pool and makes you constantly smell like bleach.
- Because hard work drains me psychologically
- Because I want to see how far my limits go.
- Because I have a lot of fun when I train with my friends.
- The friendships I develop in the pool are priceless.
- Because it fills me with energy and a good mood for the rest of the day. -Because it gives me divine abs.
- Stick this list on the fridge and write as a title ΄΄Why I do this stupid but cool sport every day΄΄
Best times, medals, stats fade over time. What counts in the end are the lessons and the experiences that the pool gives you.
IF YOUR PARENTS ARE TOO STRESSED ABOUT YOUR MATCHES, THE STRESS WILL PASS ON TO YOU
Although we often look to our idols for inspiration, the ones who influence us the most are the people close to us. When they start asking you how you're doing in training, if your last times were good, if you managed to beat the person next to you, then the seed of worry and doubt grows in you too. Some parents believe that by showing their distress to the child, they motivate him to try harder.
I'm afraid of disappointing my parents
Of course, this never happens. If the child didn't care on his own he won't decide now because his parents care. In fact, the only way to bring out your best in the sport is to feel relaxed and not worry about what will happen after the race. Performance improves when athletes are confident, relaxed and committed to their preparation. Not when they are stressed and worried about what others will think of them.
LEAVE SPORTS TO THE POOL
Discussions about swimming should be avoided at home. You have a lot to think about in other aspects of your life as well. You don't have to carry the swim out of the pool either. This has gotten worse with social media giving the athlete the ability to be in touch with the sport constantly. Let's hear from Olympian Adam Peaty who thinks you should stay out of sports talk.
'' At home we have a rule not to talk about swimming. Rarely, when I come out of my room and see my parents watching one of my matches on TV, I immediately tell them to turn it off. If I start watching with them, I won't be able to stop thinking about it all night and it makes you lose energy, when you should only be winning."
THE ONLY THING YOU NEED FROM YOUR PARENTS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE WORLD
What you need from your parents is not advice and encouraging words, but love and security. That's all. The simplest, most important thing in the world. Having these solid foundations gives you the freedom to pursue your goals without losing focus. Instead of worrying about disappointing your parents, you can dive into the water with all your heart and a clear mind. All you want to hear from your parents before and after a good or bad match is: "I love you and I'm proud of you".
Saltamanikas Nikolas
TEFAA graduate, swimming specialty
Class A swimming coach
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