by Anna Harrison

Created on: February 27, 2009

Most parents enjoy watching their children participate in sports. But what do you do when they hate it? As a little league coach, I have often seen parents push their children into playing, when they would really rather not. I have actually seen parents push their kids onto the field, when they were so upset they were crying, and saying they didn't want to play. This seems to happen most often with girls. Parents want their kids to play. Maybe they played when they were a kid and loved it, or perhaps they just enjoy watching. But what if your daughter really dislikes sports and just doesn't want to take part?

The worst thing to do is force them to play. Trust me, it will make them hate it forever. The fact is, some girls are just not sports minded, and that's okay. Giving them a season or two to think about it sometimes changes their attitude and they will decide to give a sport a try. Sometimes they will just not have any desire to ever participate. Not everyone can be an athlete, or wants to, and that shouldn't be an issue. Some girls are just uncoordinated or become embarrassed if they make a mistake. The important thing is to make sure they get involved in some other form of exercise. There are a lot of other ways to be active without organized sports.

In today's overweight society, we really need to make sure our kids get up off the couch and exert themselves. They spent so much sedentary time in front of computers, Xboxes, and television that obesity has become a big problem for children. If sports are a no go for your daughter, there are plenty of other options out there. Maybe they would enjoy ballet, yoga or karate. They might enjoy joining a gym and working out with all of the equipment there. A lot depends on their personality. If a girl is shy and does not want to exercise in front of others she might enjoy jogging or race walking near home. The possibilities are endless. Even fun activities like roller blading or ice skating burn fat and calories.

Whether your daughter decides to play sports or not, the most important thing is to let them know that you are okay with their choice. Above all else, they should not feel as if they have to play sports to please their parents. Also try to get her to get involved with some other extracurricular activity that is school based. There are all kinds of clubs that don't involve sports, like theater club or FFA. Joining a club keeps them involved with their school friends and helps them to fit in and feel accepted.

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