Topic of the Month – Kids and Sport
Sport is a major part of Australia’s culture. We have sporting events happening all year round, with Australian Rules Football and rugby taking place in the winter months, and basketball, soccer and plenty of cricket during spring and summer.
With so much sport ingrained into Australia’s psyche, it is natural for a child to express an interest in playing their favourite spectator sport.
“How much is sport costing Aussie families and children?”
Author: Michael Tabet
It’s no secret that sport has so many health benefits for children. It helps them to stay active, keep fit, gain self-esteem and confidence, make friends and learn about teamwork. But what is the financial cost for parents? And how do you put a price on your children’s health and wellbeing?
Along with registration fees, there is the cost of uniform, boots or other special footwear, the cost of petrol to drive to and from locations, plus extras for special equipment, such as
swimming goggles. With so many household budgets already stretched to the limit, how do we find the money to pay for something our children love and can benefit so much from?
This article looks at the cost of participation in sport for families. It also provides some
fantastic tips for families to keep the costs down. Read on for the full article.
“Forget about winning, just let the kids play”
Authors: David Mark
Children as young as 18 months can take part in specialist
classes such as soccer, Aussie rules and gymnastics. These tend to focus on fun rather than competition, but are they too expensive for what you get?
Are children’s sporting lessons too expensive for families,
especially with multiple children
playing multiple sports? Where do we draw the line?
And then there is the question of what happens when
children grow and that competitive edge takes over?
Do we support this competitive spirit, or encourage
participation above all else? Is children’s sport too
competitive?
Does children’s sport have a ‘win-at-all-costs’ mentality? Are adults pushing children and teens too far to achieve success, in something that is meant to be fun, help them get fit and teach them about teamwork?
This article takes a look at why so many kids start a sport, just to drop out after the year has ended. Is it too much pressure to win? Parental pressure? Or because they are just not having fun?
It also discusses the need for great coaching in sport – to teach children a better understanding of the skills involved, not just that winning is everything.
Read the full article and make up your own mind about kids and sport.