What does your
child's experience
of sport feel like?

When you think about your child's sport, what matters most to you?

• That they perform well and win
• That they work hard and improve
• That they enjoy it and want to keep playing
• That they're learning life skills through the experience

When your child makes a mistake in a game, what's your first internal reaction?

• Frustration — they should know better by now
• Worry — I hope this doesn't affect their confidence
• Acceptance — mistakes are part of learning
• Curiosity — I watch to see how they respond and move on

How realistic do you think your expectations of your child's sporting ability are?

• I expect a lot — I think they're capable of more than they show
• I try to be realistic, but sometimes I catch myself expecting too much
• I'm generally realistic about where they're at
• My expectations follow their lead — I start from where they are, not where I'd like them to be

During a game, how would you describe your behaviour on the sideline?

• I call out instructions and guidance — I want to help them
• I encourage them a lot and point out what they should do
• I mostly cheer and try to keep my coaching to myself
• I watch, enjoy, and leave the coaching to the coach

On the drive home after a game, what typically happens?

• I walk them through what they could have done better
• I ask a lot of questions about the game and their performance
• I mostly listen to what they want to share
• I tell them I enjoyed watching, and leave the rest until they bring it up

If you could honestly observe your child before a big game, which description would most likely fit?

• Anxious or tense — they seem to carry pressure into the game
• Quiet or withdrawn — hard to read
• Focused and reasonably calm
• Excited and looking forward to it

How much does your child seem to genuinely enjoy their sport right now?

• Hard to tell — they go, but I'm not sure they love it
• They enjoy the wins, but struggle when things go wrong
• They enjoy it most of the time
• They love it — the enjoyment isn't really tied to results

When you imagine your child's sporting future, who is usually doing the imagining?

• Mostly me — I have a clear picture of where I'd like them to get to
• A mix — I have hopes, but I try to check if they share them
• Mostly them — I follow their lead on what they want from sport
• I rarely think about their sporting future — I'm focused on the present experience

If you asked your child what they most want from you as their sport parent, what do you think they'd say?

• More support and guidance when they're struggling
• Less pressure and fewer questions after games
• Just to be there watching — without the commentary
• I genuinely think they'd say they're happy with how I support them