Balancing Life and Sports for Kids

Fall sports are finally here, but sometimes the stress of competing and busy schedules can get to both kids and their families.
 

The fact is, many parents, specifically moms are often stressed out with their kids' busy schedules, and many kids are stressed out about competing.

A national sports league for kids has set out to change all that.  i9 Sports is a national organization with over 600,000 members. The focus is on fun and safety for kids and convenience for Mom.

For many Moms, sports overload is setting in, especially for moms with more than one child.  Some children also want to participate in more than one sport.

Kids are playing football, they’re playing soccer, they’re playing basketball and baseball! With two kids, there are two practices multiple times per week. It just becomes too much for parents and also for the kids balancing school work and other functions.

Steve Goldstein, with I9 sports, says it's a common sentiment for moms with active kids.

"Balance your life and find time for your families," said Goldstein, I9 Sports Program Director.

I9 Sports conducted a cross–country survey to see what stresses moms out. What it found was that 68 percent of moms say their kids' busy sports schedules take away from family time.

"Today's youth sports is about a winning at all costs mentality and kind of putting a lot of pressure on the kids," he said.

I9 Sports provides leagues for kids that are less competitive and less time consuming. 

To reduce stress and increase fun, parents need to take a step back. For instance, try not to get upset over a bad call and reward effort as opposed to performance.

Goldstein adds that it's also good to reward kids who exemplify various aspects of sportsmanship, something I9 does with awards.

As far as reducing stress for parents, a minimized sports schedule can help. At i9, practices and games are one day a week, with more of a focus on fun, rather than just winning. It’s a fun atmosphere for all the children so that they learn to enjoy sports for the game, and not just to win.

Check i9sports.com for a local league near you.