Tough Ride Home
Parent Perspective™
Every hockey parent has experienced it.
The game ends.
The players leave the dressing room.
Equipment gets loaded into the vehicle.
Then comes one of the most important moments in youth sports.
The ride home.
Maybe your child played great.
Maybe they struggled.
Maybe they made a mistake that is replaying over and over in their mind.
Maybe they are disappointed.
Maybe they are angry.
Maybe they are embarrassed.
What many parents forget is that most players already know how they played.
Young athletes are often far harder on themselves than parents realize.
They know when they missed a scoring chance.
They know when they turned the puck over.
They know when they made a mistake.
The ride home is not always a coaching opportunity.
Sometimes it is a parenting opportunity.
Children need to know that one game does not change how much they are loved, valued, and supported.
That does not mean hockey conversations should never happen.
It means timing matters.
Some players want to talk immediately.
Others need time.
Others simply need to know that hockey is not the most important thing in the car.
The relationship is.
Years from now, your child probably won’t remember every game.
But they may remember how they felt after those games.
The ride home can build confidence.
The ride home can build trust.
The ride home can remind a child that hockey is something they do, not who they are.
Sometimes the best thing a parent can say is:
“I’m proud of you.”
And sometimes the best thing a parent can do is simply listen.
When To Revisit This Moment
• After a difficult game.
• After a tough loss.
• When emotions are high.
• When you’re tempted to coach from the driver’s seat.
Related Hockey Life Moments™
• Tough Day
• Lost Confidence
• Child Wants To Quit
• Parent Burnout
• Missing The Big Picture
The Right Perspective For The Right Moment™
Visit The Hockey Resource for more Hockey Life Moments™.
PRESENTED BY: thehockeyresource.com and thehockeytournamentresource.com – mark@thehockeyresource.com
As always, thank you for being part of The Hockey Resource community.
CLICK LINK FOR AWESOME HOCKEY PRODUCTS – https://thehockeyresource.com/discount-hockey-products-amazon/
CLICK TO SEE MARK ON PODCAST https://www.buzzsprout.com/1824112/episodes/13519482
Mark Hetherman
Executive Director
thehockeytournamentresource.com
