Car Ride Conversations: Positive Attitudes
Mighty Kicks offers children a new avenue to learn life skills through an engaging and active experience. However, all skills take time to develop and master. The car ride after practice or a game is a great time to keep the life skill conversations going.
We teach our players that having a positive attitude is important not just on the field, but in every situation. A positive attitude can help you accomplish goals and achieve more. Whether your player won or lost the game, consider asking questions to help your child frame their experience in a positive light.
Easy Conversation Starters
What did you do well?
Asking your player about their performance in a game or practice session can help them to pinpoint the actions that made them feel confident or proud. Even if a child is disappointed due to a loss, reflecting on something good that they did will help them maintain a positive attitude toward the sport.
Who on your team played really well today?
Reminding your player to think of a teammate’s performance is a great way for them to get outside of their own experience. They can have the opportunity to practice feeling happy for someone else. By reminding your child of others, it is possible to diminish feelings of self-blame or anger that they may be feeling after a loss.
What could have made today even better?
Asking the question this way implies that the game was good, even if your child can’t see that yet. This question also allows them to consider what could be improved, but it is not necessarily focused on their actions or performance. It allows them to be more open about what was the most disappointing during a game – their performance, their team, the weather, or anything else that could have affected them. By getting them to be honest about what the problem was, you can help them to navigate that disappointment.
Having a positive attitude is a life skill that will serve your child well throughout their life. Sports and competition offer a unique challenge for kids to practice positivity. Use these questions to start a dialogue and to give your kids a tool to evaluate their positive attitude for years to come.
