Are You A Good Sport

[Bobby]

I just hate when I'm watching my kids play a sport like soccer or hockey and hear some loudmouth yelling at his kids. Now there are times when I get steamed about something I hear, but I have never allowed myself to get in an argument with another parent in the stands or on the sidelines. It's not something I would want my kids to see, so I don't. How do you respond in this kind of situation?

 

[polamalu43]

Well I try to be a good parent and keep my mouth quiet but sometimes I can't help it. I never yell at the kids but I have been known to talk not so quietly about other parents who are being rude. I hate the parents that yell at their kids, yell at coaches or yell at other people.

 

[Sinbian]

I try to understand both the kids and parents because sports can raise pressure and some things that can be said are not coming from the heart.

 

[Timothy]

If the situation is a parent yelling at his/her child, I stay out of it. The way I see it, I don't want other people telling me how to raise my child, so I don't try to tell anyone how to raise theirs. If the situation is someone yelling at my child, however, it's a completely different story, but that's never been an issue.

 

[Clay]

I agree with Timothy, if someone is yelling at their kid I might not like it, but it is none of my business. I just hate to see a parent pressuring their kid so much, that the game is no longer fun.

 

[Kina]

My ex-wife does it to my kids. She is not to obnoxious, and she does not yell negative things when they make a mistake. But she will call out the ref in a heartbeat when they make a bad call. I have also seen her yell at the other coaches from the opposite team.

She will end up in jail or in a fight before long.

 

[Victor Leigh]

Agreed. There's nothing worse than seeing a parent behave worse than his kid at a sports event. I think the kid must be totally embarrassed by his parent's behavior.

 

[Lorenzo]

I just hate when I'm watching my kids play a sport like soccer or hockey and hear some loudmouth yelling at his kids. Now there are times when I get steamed about something I hear, but I have never allowed myself to get in an argument with another parent in the stands or on the sidelines. It's not something I would want my kids to see, so I don't. How do you respond in this kind of situation?

I've been in this situation one time too many and what I usually do is hold my tongue. If I had it my way, I would have yelled at that loudmouth and gave him a piece of my mind. But as what everyone said, it's really none of my business for me to intervene. And, the loudmouth's kid had been embarrassed enough, I wouldn't think of adding to it.

 

[Godric]

Yelling can also be a form of cheering for the parent especially if that parent really likes that sport. Don't get me wrong, I am one of the quiet types but I do understand where those loud parents are coming from. For me, so long as the loud parent is not saying anything about my kid, we're ok.

 

[Andersson]

I will not fib but for the first few years I had a serious issue with it. I mean we would practice over and over again, then I would see a call given by a ref and just flip out thinking he is an idiot. Finally I gave in and let them play just the same, in the end we all had a better time and enjoyed it.

 

[Bear]

Believe it or not I know a few parents that brag about the number of times that they have been thrown out of a game their child was playing in. I feel so bad for the kids because that has to be completely embarrasing for them.

 

[Victor Leigh]

Just curious. What would you do if one of those yelling parents were to yell something unsavory aimed at your kid? Shut his mouth with a knuckle sandwich?

 

[CHenne]

I talk to my kids but I don't yell at them or any other player. I have yelled at an ump/ref a couple of times. I can say I was not the only parent doing this and I felt terrible after.