Sports are a great way for a child to develop crucial skills such as athleticism, teamwork, and confidence. However, it can be a problem when sports are distracting your child from schoolwork. They might prefer playing soccer to studying, but they should be able to do both. Here's how to teach your child to master the balance between school and sports.

Encourage them

Avoidance of schoolwork often comes from a lack of confidence. When a child thinks they're not good at something, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy where they refuse to try. In order to get them excited about school, you need to show that you believe in them. Ask them about their assignments and see what sort of classes they're most interested in and which they need more help with.

Help Them Make a Schedule

Your child might think that doing well at both school and sports is impossible. The more likely scenario is that they don't know how to manage their time well. You can help them with this by working to outline a schedule together. Since practices and games are generally set in stone, you can help them find time for studying between them. This might mean having to cut back on hobbies like video games, but there will be much greater long-term rewards with a well-developed schedule.

Show Them the Importance of Good Grades

If your child isn't interested in studying, it might be because they think that there's no point. They may believe that they're destined to be superstars in their sport and that doing well in class won't matter. However, many schools have requirements for grades for sports participation. Calculating your child's GPA to make sure it meets school requirements for participation in sports is important. You want your child's to be comfortably above the minimum requirements.

Give Them Consequences

You don't want to use fear as a primary motivating factor, but you definitely need to show your child that not obeying you can cost them. If they're not doing their homework or studying, you should discipline them appropriately. Consider speaking with their coach about possibly suspending them until they get their act together.

When your child is able to balance both school and sports, they can enjoy both much more. They won't have to worry about their grades or their athletic performance faltering. Take the time to speak with your children about making time for both school and sports. You'll both be very glad you had this conversation.