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We all want the absolute best for our children. From the moment they’re born we want them to be at the head of the class, win 10 gold medals and be as happy and successful as they possibly can.

“What is the best way to raise my child to be a Gold Medalist? “ is a question that I get asked just about every day. The very direct answer is: You don’t raise children to be gold medalists, you raise them to be happy and healthy. If you raise your child specifically to be a gold medal athlete or to win the Super Bowl, chances are their childhood won’t be very much fun.

As a child, I was exposed to a large number of activities, some I liked and- well – some I didn’t. Once I started swimming, I knew it was for me. Swimming came naturally, and once I was in my early teens I made the conscious decision to get serious with the sport. You see, in that sense, swimming kind of chose me. My mother didn’t force me to swim endless laps in the kiddie pool or make me to go to swim camp when I was 5. What I’m trying to say is that if you want your child to be as happy and successful as they can be, you should expose them to a number of activities, encourage them, and make certain they are HEALTHY and HAPPY. Once this happens, their strengths will show themselves.

Here are a few pointers that I picked up as both a successful athlete and as a mom:

• EXPOSE CHILDREN TO A NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES: Go ahead, sign your child up for soccer, swimming, lacrosse, chess club; you name it. Exercise is great for children, and the more activities they participate in make them more likely to find something they’re good at. Very often, your child will figure out their strengths by themselves… I sure did!
• PLAY TO THEIR STRENGTHS: Once your child has found something that they’re good at, encourage them! Children’s feelings are so sensitive that they’re likely to get down on themselves very easily. I remember wanting to hang up my swim cap for good after losing some close swim races. My mother, Barbara Hopewell, picked me back up and I came out on top!
• DON’T PUSH TOO HARD: There’s a fine line between positive, constructive encouragement and flat out pushing your children to the point where sports become a chore. I see this all the time with young ones at the pool. There’s definitely a time to become super-serious with athletic training, and before the age of 10 is just simply not that time.
• HEALTH COMES FIRST: Health is the absolute number one concern when it comes to our young athletes. Make certain that they get a good, balanced diet. Make sure that they’re hydrated. Make sure they stretch. Athletic activity will go a long way to keep their physical fitness up, but don’t overdo it. Also remember: it’s allergy season! If your kids have allergies, keep their allergy medicine around to relieve the effects of seasonal allergies and Hay Fever. Nobody likes playing sports with a runny nose and itchy eyes!

When you get down to brass tacks, all happy and healthy children are our champions. If you’re child exhibits superior ability in any one particular sport or activity, then is the time to get serious. For now, however: have FUN, be SAFE, and BE HEALTHY.

Have a great summer!

--Summer