In this age of kids playing on multiple sports teams during their school years, now we have some new advice:  Make sure you as a parent understand what your child will be gaining from the sport and the team.  Well, there is an idea.  Imagine the possibilities if sports-minded parents worked toward the goal of well-balanced children.  Even though the same experts providing this advice can write an essay on the benefits of sports, they are suggesting that parents actually consider the effects of the sport on their particular child.  I would have thought parents were doing this already, but alas, I am wrong, as witnessed by the violent behavior by parents at children’s games.  Thanks to CNN for bringing us this helpful reminder.

It is great to see an article that does more than merely comment on the problems of parent behavior in children’s sports.  This piece offers recommendations that can be followed with a little thought.  It examines the early process of choosing a sport for your child based on his/her personality, not the parent’s, and also advocates having clear ideas of what you want the child to experience.  While this advice may not seem particularly inventive, it is certainly worth a reminder that children’ sports have a developmental component, and that parents should keep their eye on the ball when helping their children choose activities.