Summer's almost here

In a week or two, many of us will have one less thing to worry at least for the next ten weeks maybe - taking our kids to school - with the school break just around the bend.

Things are quite hectic for us now though as we prepare them for their final examinations and maybe some school projects that have not yet been submitted.

Being a parent these days is so much different from years ago I guess. Or maybe I'm just wrong.

This early, some kids, including mine, are probably already asking what they are going to do after classes?

The past five summers (though we don't have four seasons in the country we call the school break that way), have been spent in the football field and this year it looks like there would be any changes, just maybe a few additions.

The biggest problem that we parents face of course is looking for the right training program to send our kids to. By right, we mean many things - good training system, right equipment, cost, good coaches, and a few other concerns.

I had a recent personal experience about bad coaching which I'd say can be very detrimental to your child's performance and his psychological make up if not checked.

Some coaches do not know how to handle children and their actions often lead to kids being discouraged from continuing to participate, if not develop a dread for going to practice.

To all you parents out there looking for the right training program to enroll your kids into, make sure the coaches know what they are doing and are not just people who think they can coach because they, once in their life, played the game.

It's not easy dealing with a child who is crying begging you not to let him go back to practice anymore because the coach is not treating him fairly.

Setting your goals for your child's sports training is also something important to consider. What would you want your child to achieve?

Is sending him to training just for fun or to get him seriously involved in the sport?

Many start out as just wanting to have fun and then end up being very serious about getting better. I suggest you look at the fun part first most specially for the small kids so that they would learn to love enjoy the game before you really put them into a serious training program.

I have come across some parents who want their children to follow the footsteps of the big stars of the sports world and push them too hard while they are young. Well, it could work on very few kids, but it would not for majority of them.

As a personal experience, I encouraged my son to practice judo really hard in preparation for the national kids' tournament. The result is not exactly what I had hoped and I am now in the process of convincing him to love the martial art again, enough to bring him back to the dojo for training.

We love to give our kids a better future, so let us make sure that we don't ruin it by ramming into their throats something that would leave a very bad taste in their mouths.

Do a little research before you enroll your child in any summer sports program. Ask parents who have sent their kids there and talk to the coaches.

Observe the practices and understand what they are doing. Go to the internet and learn more.

This way, you help ensure that your kids are in the proper sports program to help you achieve your goals.

If you'd like to discuss this further, send email to [email protected]