The Dreaded Ride Home.

By: True Sport

How we talk to our kids about sports is how we keep our kids in sports.  The ride home is a great series of videos from True Sport about how to handle the ride home with your young athlete.

“The Ride Home” campaign focuses on the ride home after a game – something that millions of Canadian kids and parents experience every day and many don’t think twice about. True Sport is challenging Canadian parents to think hard about “that moment.”

“There is significant research that shows that kids who play sport have higher self-esteem, more confidence, do better in school, are less likely to use drugs, and the list goes on and on,” said Karri Dawson, Executive Director of the True Sport Foundation. “However, 70 per cent of kids are leaving sport before they get to high school and the number one reason is because it isn’t fun anymore. This campaign is about reminding parents to help keep sport fun.”

“One rule of thumb after a bad game or practice is to not say anything at all about the game unless your child brings it up,” said Dr. Penny Werthner, former Canadian Olympian, Sports Psychologist and Dean of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary. “The 24-hour rule, for example, lets everyone cool off a bit and allows you to discuss things when emotions aren’t so high.”

In fact, the most powerful six words we can say? I just love watching you play.