How to Avoid Being Labeled a Stage Parent

We’ve all seen the “stage parent” screaming at their kid from the sidelines. You know the one that I’m talking about. It’s the parent who shouts constantly from the side of the stage “Try harder, kick straighter, do it again!” These parents are labeled as stage parents. They are the parents who put unbelievable pressure on their kids to perform. These are parents that insist on rigid practice schedules, constantly demand perfection and seriously seem to be living vicariously through their kids.What steps can you take to avoid being labeled as a stage parent?

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

How to Avoid Being Labeled a Stage Parent

1. Lighten up. Whether your child participates in a club sport or in competitive competion, remember the main focus should be that your child enjoys herself and has fun.

2. Praise effort rather than performance. Focus on how hard your child tries and how much progress she had made rather than how well she does in competition. Putting pressure on your child to perform can affect her self esteem and make her hate an activity that she used to love.

3. Realize it's not about you. Your hopes, dreams and aspirations for your child should not come before the ones your child has for herself. You had your time to play. Now it's hers.

4. Compare your behavior to other parents. Do other parents attend every practice and sit stage side? Do they require their kids to take part in additional daily practice time? Chances are, if you are the only parent who is forcing her child to practice, and are at every single practice watching from the sides as you loudly share your comments, others have labeled you as a stage parent.

5. Let the coach be the coach. Keep your negative comments to yourself about her performance. Let her coach address issues with technique or stradegy. Your job is to be the best cheerleader you can be.

Tips & Warnings

• Cheering your child on is completely acceptable, but if your child tells you that you are embarrassing her, take her feelings into consideration and leave the cowbell and neon sign at home.
• If other parents perceive you to be overly involved and intense about your child's activities you will be labeled as a stage parent.