Parents always want the best for their children, but sometimes struggle with the best way to support them. It is difficult to find the balance between helping your child achieve his or her athletic dream and ensuring that your child also has fun. It is even more difficult watching your child struggle physically and mentally about a sport. Maybe your adolescent daughter wants to play college soccer but is rehabbing from a year-long season-ending injury that is making it difficult for her to go in hard for tackles. Maybe the son was an outstanding pitcher but now he is frustrated and on the verge of quitting because he cannot find the strike zone. Maybe your daughter loved gymnastics but is now suffering from burnout and refuses to go to the gym. Or maybe your son develops such a terrible case of anxiety before matches that he can no longer play tennis.

All of these issues are common problems that athletes experience. Unlike physical difficulties, the mental aspect of the game is much harder for parents to assist. It often leaves parents feeling helpless and lost.

The good news is that there are ways to help:

1. Offer Support – talk to your child about what he or she is experiencing and normalize it for them
2. Ask Questions – ask your child questions about what he or she needs and what you can do to help
3. Practice Mental Training Exercises – this can include mindfulness and visualization exercises surrounding peak performance
4. Seek Outside Help – if the issues persist, seek outside help from a performance coach

A peak performance coach or sports psychologist can help your athlete alleviate issues on the athletic field or even assist on boosting performance.