Parents: from our Expectations to Their Aspirations

What if your athlete walks onto the field carrying a picture of the game you created for them?

As parents, we see their ability, know their effort, and want opportunities for them. But sometimes our hopes become expectations, and what we intend as belief feels like a result they need to deliver.

In this episode, I explore a different angle: noticing what we expect from our athletes and choosing what we want to practice ourselves as parents.

We explore:

• How our expectations can appear in reminders, expressions, and post-game questions.
• Why our picture of their journey may be different from theirs.
• The difference between supporting responsibility and demanding results.
• How to give athletes room to choose their own focus.
• Two simple sentences to turn awareness into intentional support.

Your takeaway:

“Today, I notice I’m expecting my child to…”

“Today, I aspire to be a parent who…”

Choose one action that reflects the parent you aspire to become.

While they practice becoming an athlete, we can practice becoming a parent.

Follow Let’s Go Mental and share this episode with a sports parent who might appreciate a different angle.

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