Teaching Good Sportsmanship to Highly Sensitive Kids

highly sensitive child hsc parenting Mar 27, 2024

If your kid is regularly pouting or freaking out during sports, and you find yourself wondering if it’s worth it, read on.

Do you feel like you're walking on eggshells, never knowing what will trigger the next emotional outburst, embarrassed that this is now happening in public?

You're not alone. Many parents of highly sensitive children struggle with the same challenges.

You might wonder if just changing the objective, expecting your child to do better at an individual sport like gymnastics or track will decrease the comparison.

But here's the truth: switching from soccer to an individual sport won't solve the problem, because your child needs collaboration skills.

The real issue lies in your child's inability to manage their emotions in overwhelming situations.

Whether it's a team sport or an individual activity, your child needs to learn how to regulate their emotions safely and effectively.

Once a child can do that, their flexibility and leadership in team sports shines.

As a parent, you play a crucial role in guiding your child through this process.

You don't want to be the parent who resorts to harsh discipline or threatens consequences to keep your child in line…. Including pulling them from the sport they’re interested in, or forcing them to go because they made a commitment.

Those are two extremes in the same problem.

That's not the kind of leadership your child needs.

Instead, you want to empower your child to make their own decisions, to feel safe expressing their emotions, and to advocate for themselves.

When your child learns to manage their emotions, they can confidently say, "I know I signed up for soccer, but I think I'd like to try taekwondo next season. The field feels too chaotic for me. Is that okay, mom?"

Naturally, sensitive kids can be self-motivated to show up for their teammates and finish out a commitment because they are, when emotionally regulated, very capable of noticing the collective community impact their actions take.

(When unregulated they get paralyzed in fear that their actions create burdens for others.)

That's the kind of self-awareness and communication you want to foster in your child.

You need to teach this skill playfully.

It can’t feel like school or therapy. Your child already has habits of ‘performing what others want to see’ that will play out here.

It's not easy to get there on your own.

If you want to fast-track this skill, that's where we come in.

Our team of experts has helped hundreds of families break free from the meltdown cycle.

We understand the unique challenges of raising a highly sensitive child, and we have the tools and strategies to help you navigate this journey with compassion and confidence.

Imagine a future where your child can sample extracurricular activities like candy in a candy shop, excited to try new things and discover their passions.