Search
Close this search box.
Search
Close this search box.
Facebook Youtube Instagram Linkedin Pinterest
Facebook Twitter Youtube Instagram Linkedin Pinterest

Thriving or Surviving: Signs Your Kid Is Stretched Too Thin

Parents

Calendar with most days filled out in various colors and activities.There are so many extracurricular activities available for young people now, including youth sports, art classes, religious schools, STEM activities, music lessons, language, and the list goes on. What educators have learned over the years is that young people stay out of trouble when they are involved in co-curriculars. They learn new skills, become physically and mentally stronger, and discover their passions. As parents, we want our children to thrive and find their passions, as well as learn social skills and build strong relationship with people who have common interests.

As the seasons move from winter to spring and warmer weather makes more outdoor sports opportunities available for children, parents need to make sure we can help them find a balance between schoolwork and all of those fun activities they are interested in and driven toward. Here’s a way to do that:

 

List and Rank the Options

Start off by sitting down with your child and creating a list of activities in which they are interested. After you jot down all of these activities (or if your child is older, they can make the list), categorize the activities with a number system that re-lists the activities in order of importance. If you use a 10-point scale, one might mean: “I’m interested, but can live without it”. Five might mean: “I enjoy this activity but can live without it”. Ten might mean: “This is really important to me, and I’m not sure I can live without it”. Come up with a creative system that will resonate with your individual child.

 

Establish Non-Negotiables

Once your athlete has his or her list, you can present them with a short list of non-negotiable things that must take place during the week. After school sports or an evenings-and-weekends sports league might be high on your child’s list, but if the team practices every Tuesday night and you have another commitment that can’t be moved, then your child will need to consider other youth sport options.

In addition to non-negotiable events, there may also be non-negotiable outcomes. For most families, academic success comes first. If youth sports are getting in the way of academic successes, a non-negotiable outcome may be that they are no longer allowed to participate.

 

Discuss Your Limitations

This is also a good time to talk to your child about your budget, and what your family can comfortably afford. This may mean that out of the four activities they are interested in, the family budget only accommodates two. Some sports are more expensive than others, due mainly to equipment costs. As a result, some youth sports programs have a supply of loaner equipment to help kids try a new sport and see if they like it before parents need to purchase specialized equipment. It is okay for young people to know there are parameters around cash flow, and in the long run helps kids learn to set priorities and understand budgeting.

 

Involve Kids in Making the Schedule

Once you have established your family’s priorities around school, money, and other aspects of your schedule, focus on the activities that are at the 10-end of the scale, do a web search to see if those activities fit into your family schedule, and get them on the calendar.

Making sure that your child participates in most of this process is essential. Kids are more likely to stick with a sport – or any activity – when they have some ownership over their decisions. Involving kids in the whole process also sends a strong message that you are really listening to their needs and wants.

 

Signs Your Child is Overstretched

It’s important to know if your child is stretched too thin from their new schedule. Keep an eye out for these signs:

  • If you see restlessness and inability to focus on everyday tasks, classwork, or chores
  • If they are strangely impatient or short with you during a non-confrontational conversation
  • If they start to get sick (like a common cold)
  • If you find that they are struggling to keep up with school work, or they never have time to sit and watch a movie, or go play outside.

Adjustments That Help Your Child Thrive

When children start a new sport you may need to make some shifts in your already-established schedule. For example, you may need to change bedtime, change time available for certain activities, and provide downtime when there’s nothing scheduled. Making sure young people have enough time to get their homework done, a little time to practice their trombone, time to just sit and read a book, and time to go outside and play with the neighbor kids is essential.

Pay attention to calorie needs. More activities means greater energy expenditure, so it’s important to ensure calorie intake supports their new schedule. If you’re finding you’re dealing with more tears and more conflicts at home, or if kids are having a harder time getting to sleep, consider whether hunger is playing a role.

Kids don’t come with fuel and fatigue gauges, so there’s a lot of trial and error in finding the right balance. Having a few healthy snacks stashed in your car or in your son or daughter’s backpack or gym bag, and adding a little extra fat and protein at meal times can make all the difference in helping a child thrive with a busy and active schedule.

 

When It’s Just Not Working

Sometimes, despite best intentions, kids get in over their heads and there’s simply too many commitments on their plate. If the adjustments above are not resolving the signs your child is stretched too thin, here are your next steps:

  • Take a break, but don’t quit: In youth sports and after-school sports it can be difficult to sit out for a little while and then return to the team, especially because some coaches have rules that don’t allow athletes to play unless they attend all practices. Nonethless, it’s a good idea to consult with the coaches. At the end of the day they want your child to be successful on and off the field.
  • Pull the plug, for now: As beneficial as youth sports are for kids, health and education are higher priorities. On one hand, it is important for kids to follow through on their commitments to a team and an activity. On the other hand, it is also important to learn when continuing does you more harm than good. When concerted efforts to adapt schedules, diet, and sleep are ineffective, pulling out of an activity may be the wisest option.

There’s a limit to how much any of us – adults or kids – can pile into our schedules. Adults have learned where our limits are (for the most part) and we have the autonomy to make choices if we get overloaded. Young athletes have neither the experience to know where their limits are, nor the decision-making ability to make appropriate changes. But hopefully with the tips and strategies above, you can help your young athlete adapt and thrive with a challenging schedule.

Related Content

Loading...
1 2 … 20

Join Us

Subscribe
Shop TrueSport
Host TrueSport

TrueSport logo without icon in white.

© 2024 TrueSport | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Sitemap

Goal-Setting Lesson Video Transcript

Hi. I’m Trevon, Trey, Jennifer. Team USA wheelchair basketball player, paralympian, and true sport athlete. Today, I want to talk to you about goal setting. And there are three things that I would like you to know. First, successful athletes set goals and a planned roadmap. Second, goals should be written down, assessed over time, and changed if necessary. And third, goals need to be challenging in order to be worthwhile. As a freshmen at Edinboro University, I was a part of a team that made the national championship game. And at that time I recognized I was the low man on the totem pole, but I felt in my heart that I knew my dreams were so much bigger than winning a national title. I wanted to make Team USA. I knew what achieving my lofty goal was not going to be easy and that I would need to work hard every day.

So, as a reminder, I created a pyramid of goals that I kept right above my bed. This pyramid reminded me of the accomplishments that I was working towards and visually represented my need to create a solid foundation underneath me before reaching the top. In the bottom roll of my pyramid of goals I listed goals such as obtaining my bachelor’s degree, becoming a scholar athlete award recipient, and becoming an All-American. The middle row listed winning a national title and playing for a professional team. And at the top row, the most challenging of them all, I listed becoming a gold medalist for Team USA.

By understanding that there are smaller stepping stones to achieving my ultimate goal of being on Team USA, I was able to stay motivated and to stay focused on completing the smaller stepping stones fully before moving onto the next one. Now I’ll be the first to admit that not every goal that I listed on my pyramid was accomplished, but seeing my goals every day when I went to bed, I was able to push through the days that I felt like doing nothing in hopes of achieving the bigger picture. Remember, create a clear goal roadmap, assess your goals often, and continue to challenge yourself. I hope that you never stopped dreaming big or reaching for the stars. And I look forward to seeing where your roadmap takes you.

Body Image Lesson Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Kara Winger, Olympic javelin thrower, and true sport athlete. Today I want to talk to you about body image and I have three things I’d like you to know. First, healthy thoughts often lead to healthier bodies. Second, there are varying body types and no one’s body is exactly like another. And third, true beauty goes deeper than the skin. As a multi-time Olympian, I’ve experienced a lot of variation and progression in my training. My coaches and I adapt to my training frequently, all with the goal of supporting my long-term success and health in the sport of javelin. I’m talking to you about body image today because sometimes even with the best of intentions and a common goal in mind, the changes you make to your training habits can prove to be detrimental if made for the wrong reasons. In the lead up to the 2012 Olympic trials, I was told in order to improve my performance on the field, I should try to become a leaner, skinnier version of myself.

So I changed my diet. I went along with what I was being told to do, even though I’d had great success at a slightly heavier weight and higher body fat percentage, and became much leaner than ever before. It seemed like a successful change at first, but I didn’t have nearly the results I’d had before. And I believe becoming leaner than my body naturally wanted to be was what caused my ACL to tear. In the end, it cost me heavily going into the 2012 London games. The takeaway for me, and hopefully for you, is that it’s important to know what works for you and your body and to not compare yourself to others. You should do your research and experiment with your diet to find what makes you feel the best, rather than focusing on what you look like. Today, if I feel like having a chocolate chip cookie, I have one, just not every day.

I’ve learned what a properly balanced meal for my body looks like and I recognize food as the fuel that keeps me throwing. I hydrate and allow myself time to recover. And I listen to and communicate with my body so that I can be the best version of myself. In the end, you are in control of how you see, treat, and respond to your body. We only get one and it’s amazing to discover how many things our bodies can do. Be a true sport athlete. Love who you are in this moment and get excited for all the places your body will take you.

A Good Sport Lesson Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Izy Isaksen, Team USA, Modern Pentathlon, Olympian, US Army Sergeant, and True Sport Ambassador. Today, I want to talk to you about being a good sport. There are three things I’d like you to know. First, real winners act the same toward their opponent, whether they win or lose. Second, follow the rules and be a gracious winner and respectful loser. And third, sportsmanship reveals your true character.

I started competing in Modern Pentathlon eight years after my older sister and three-time Olympian, Margaux Isaksen, began competing. I soon realized that people often compared the two of us. I would overhear spectators and teammates asking, “Who’s the better athlete,” and “Who’s going to beat the other.” Instead of letting outside pressures create a negative experience for us, I chose to practice winning and losing with grace and respect. I know that it would have been easy to let our hyper competitive mindset affect our relationship, but instead we decided to support and cheer for each other, regardless of our own performance. My experience of competing against and being compared to my older sister, taught me to focus on how to perform at my best, rather than putting wasted energy into wishing for others to fail.

I believe that sportsmanship reveals true character. So, no matter what situation I encounter during competition, I know it’s important to always treat people with respect and be a good sport. Remember, be a fierce competitor, find grace in all your victories and losses. And I hope to see you out there.

What Kind of Coach Do You Want to Be? Video Transcript

Edwin Moses: You’re a coach. Maybe what you want is very simple, for everyone to just run in the right direction, score for their own team, to try and try again and again. Maybe you want your athletes to become all stars. You want them to earn trophies, medals, win titles. You want them to reach the highest height their sport allows. And wanting all of that, of course, that’s good. But as every great coach discovers, developing a great athlete means nurturing, nurturing the even greater person within. Truth is, you have even more influence than you know.

You have the ability to affect even deeper change, to take what’s in your hands and do something even more extraordinary. You can be both the coach who provides the skills needed to win the game and the coach who helps them learn and succeed beyond the sport, to become all stars wherever they land in the future, and to enjoy their lives more now, because the confidence and courage they find working with you will stay with them when they need it the most. There are games to be won, lives to change. Coaches have the power to do both.

I’m Edwin Moses, and the lessons I’ve learned through sport have challenged me, guided me, and shaped my life forever. What kind of coach do you want to be?

THE SIMPLE TRUTH: DECODING THE SUPPLEMENT INDUSTRY VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

At first glance, dietary supplements look the same. They seem safe and healthy, but just because the label says a product is a dietary supplement, that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Unfortunately, you can’t tell whether a product is safe or not just by looking at the label. Most vitamins, minerals, fish oil, and other supplements containing nutrients are probably just fine, but supplements are not evaluated or approved by FDA before they are sold. Although it is rare for vitamins or minerals to be contaminated with drugs, there has been at least one case of a vitamin containing an anabolic steroid.

At the other extreme are products that contain drugs, stimulants, anabolic steroids, or other hormones. Even though these are not technically dietary supplements, many of them are labeled as supplements. For example, body-building products sometimes contain anabolic steroids or Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators, known as SARMs, or other hormones. Some pre-workout or energy products contain illegal stimulants like DMAA, ephedra, or other amphetamine-like stimulants. Weight loss products might contain prescription drugs like sibutramine, or hormones, like human chorionic gonadotropin, also known as hCG. All natural or herbal sexual enhancement products might contain hormones or Viagra-like drugs. Products like these can harm your health and career, but they’re for sale online, in some nutrition stores, and they’re labeled as dietary supplements.

When you pick up a supplement, especially one that promises performance enhancement, you don’t know if it belongs in the “Mostly O.K.” pile or in the “Dangerous” pile. After all, two products might look the same, but one might contain just amino acids and other legitimate ingredients, while the other also contains anabolic steroids. Because of this, FDA has issued a warning about certain categories of supplements: body building products, weight loss products, and sexual enhancement products. Be extremely careful when considering a supplement in one of these categories. We strongly recommend that you avoid products in these categories.

Even when FDA tests supplements and finds dangerous ingredients, companies sometimes refuse to recall them. Sometimes, they simply repackage their product and continue selling it under a new name. Just because a product is on a store shelf doesn’t mean it is safe. You need to do your research and be an informed consumer. The dietary supplement industry is enormous. Supplements that appear to be safe could actually be dangerous products in disguise. If you use dietary supplements without doing your research, you may be taking serious risks with your health and your career. Please visit USADA’s Supplement 411 for more information about dietary supplements.