Co-Parenting a Student-Athlete

Student-athletes have a lot to manage. Try these 5 tips when co-parenting a child who plays sports.

Posted on August 8, 2022

Student-athletes have a lot to juggle. Balancing education with sports can help children develop important life skills, such as time management and teamwork, but it can also be overwhelming. Whether your child is just starting to play sports, or they’ve been an active participant for quite some time, these 5 tips can help co-parents of student-athletes:

1. Set realistic, consistent expectations

For parents of student-athletes, it’s important to keep realistic goals in mind, so as not to put too much pressure on your children. Kids need to know what’s expected of them in their academic and sports-related activities, but these expectations must be reasonable. For co-parents, it’s important to discuss and agree on expectations, so that your child receives consistent messaging in both homes.

2. Always show your support

Parental support is crucial to student-athletes. Between school and sports, your child is managing a lot, and your words and actions make a huge difference in how they handle the stress. Just showing up to games and practices can mean the world to your child. If your relationship with your co-parent allows, it’s important to attend sporting events even when your child is in their custody. Having support from both parents can help your student-athlete feel comforted and encouraged.

3. Communicate and document

Fostering open communication can be extremely beneficial to your student-athlete’s success in both academics and sports. It’s crucial for both parents to check-in with their children regularly to make sure they are mentally and physically well. If you and your co-parent are on speaking terms, it’s also helpful to communicate with each other. A co-parenting communication service, like TalkingParents, can be a great place to discuss, document, and share your student-athlete’s health information. With tools like Secure Messaging and the Info Library, you and your co-parent can easily communicate and coordinate these matters, while keeping everything securely documented.

4. Keep a shared calendar

Student-athletes tend to have very busy schedules. For kids participating in multiple sports or athletic programs, life can be particularly hectic. Co-parents can keep themselves on top of their child’s schedule, as well as any changes, through our Shared Calendar feature. You and your co-parent can use this tool to create single or repeating events, making it easy to keep track of sports practices, games, and other athletic activities.

5. Encourage your kids to have fun

Having fun is perhaps the most important thing to a student-athlete’s success. If your child isn’t enjoying a particular sport, their attitude, investment, and health could take a hit. It’s beneficial for you and your co-parent to let your child know the importance of having fun with athletics and encourage them to stop participating in a sport if they don’t find it enjoyable.

Student-athletes benefit from parental involvement

Having a support system is crucial to student-athletes. Showing interest in your child’s sports-related activities and getting involved can mean a great deal to them. Click here to learn more about how to handle extracurricular activities with your co-parent.