The Art of Resilience in Sports and Parenting

What does it mean to truly support your child in developing resilience? In this heartfelt episode, we navigate the complex terrain of youth sports, parenting challenges, and teaching our children to bounce back from disappointment.

Dave shares his experience taking his 11-year-old daughter shopping for her first hockey equipment, revealing both excitement and anxiety about how she'll handle the inevitable frustration of not being immediately good at something new. The conversation explores the substantial investment parents make in youth sports – not just financially, but emotionally – as we wonder if our children will connect with the activities we introduce them to.

A breakthrough moment comes when Joey reveals his son, who typically avoids activities he's not immediately good at, unexpectedly signed up for cross-country running at school. This sparks a deeper discussion about how we can foster resilience in our children while acknowledging we're still working on it ourselves.

The most powerful revelation emerges when we realize the qualities we desperately want our children to develop – discipline, resilience, confidence – are often the very same qualities we struggle with in our own lives. "If you want your kids to have these qualities," Joey observes, "what's stopping you from developing them in yourself?" This question hits home, challenging us to consider that perhaps the most effective parenting happens not through our words but through our example.

We also celebrate listener milestones, from welcoming newborns to supporting premature babies through extended hospital stays, offering encouragement and perspective to parents on different parts of the journey. 

What lessons are your children learning from watching you, not from listening to you? Join us for this honest exploration of parenthood, resilience, and the power of leading by example.