“Children are not things to be moulded, but are people to be unfolded.” – Jess Lair.

As educators, mentors and coaches, we are passionate about changing the world through education. Children have remarkable adaptability and flexibility. Unlike adults, they come with fewer preconceived notions and emotional baggage and are more likely to be eager to absorb knowledge. But even so, our job could still be challenging as we all have limited energy and resources.

I recently learned from a sporting coach that one of the reasons our efforts sometimes fall flat is that we overlook the fact that children struggle when we try to boost their confidence BUT place them in an environment where they’re not allowed to showcase their skills. Moreover, when we fail to give them a voice. This also applies to our homes and families.

Think about it. In sports, coaches prioritise relationships and trust with their athletes. They understand that it’s not just about pushing for high scores but about forming a deep bond, understanding individual needs, and allowing each player to shine in their unique way. This formula doesn’t just create great athletes; it constructs a sense of unity and belonging within the team. The good news is we have the power to shape our community into one like this!

In this blog, we will provide insights and resources to guide you in shifting your schools and homes from pressuring to nurturing so you can create an environment where children thrive academically and grow with a strong sense of self-worth and confidence. Ready? Let’s dive right in!

#309: Antwaun Thompson | From Yelling to Inspiring: The Changing Landscape of Sports Coaching

How can you, as a parent or teacher, support your children’s activities without putting too much pressure on them? People do different things, but everybody is coaching in their own way.

This is what we talked about in this episode:

⭐ “We had a kid that broke a rule. I’m like, all right. My response was, what are we going to do about it? They (the team) said to make him sit in the bleachers and watch us run for his mistake. I’ve said this is talk about taking ownership. I still see adults who are not accountable or couldn’t do something like that. But that’s the power of sports.” — Coach T

⭐ The SEA of success is Simplicity, Effort, and Attitude. It’s utilising those soft skill areas kids need to succeed that they’re not getting in school.

⭐ Teens often share more with their coaches than they ever will with their parents. When coaches build good relationships with them, they understand that there’s someone who really cares. In this case, coaches do not replace parents but support them.

Be your best version of a coach! Tune in to the full episode on our Website, on Spotify or iTunes.

Daily Mission Card

As kids or teenagers, no one understands us. Today, our students and children feel the same, and being the adult in charge is tough! Everything good in life starts with good relationships. Building a connection and rapport with others is more important now than ever. That’s why we’ve come up with something special.

Introducing Creative Play and Movement Mission Cards— a fun and exciting way to bring people closer together. After all, who doesn’t love to play, right?

One of our favourite challenges is the “Eyes Wide Open Card.” The rules are clear: You and your student or child lock eyes, and the first to smile or laugh loses. This game is so fun that even the most serious faces will crack into laughter. The room will be filled with contagious giggles in no time!

Grab your deck of Creative Play and Movement Mission Cards HERE.

Master Chef Group Gratitude

You might wonder why some children respond negatively to your teaching and nurturing efforts. It can be frustrating, isn’t it? You put in your heart and soul, yet something seems to hold them back. There might be a few bad reasons behind this, including being one of these:

The Pressure Cooker: Some believe the more pressure we apply, the better children will perform. But this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Too much pressure leads to stress and burnout, not excellence.
Grades Above All: Focusing solely on high grades overlooks the importance of character development and emotional intelligence. We need to look beyond the report card.
One-Size-Fits-All: When we expect children to fit into a predefined mould, to act and think a certain way, we inadvertently limit their potential. We may not even realise we’re doing it, but these expectations can hinder their growth and development. It’s like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

How do we fix this? It can be as simple as nurturing connections. For this, “Master Chef Group Gratitude” has become one of our top-rated well-being games. This activity is brilliant for families, schools, workplaces or sports teams.

Like on the famous TV Show Master Chef, the only difference is that each child must write the three things they appreciate for the person they drew. Then, they fold the paper and place it in the mixing bowl. The facilitator will hand out the pieces of paper to each participant. They get to read these and keep them. It is a beautiful way to build nurturing connections around a group.

HERE are ten sample prompts to help you come up with things the children can write about if they are struggling to think.

We hope you had key takeaways from the world of sports coaching and apply them to your schools, families, and communities. Let us know on team@jugar.life if you played a staring contest or mixed folded letters of appreciation in a bowl! 🙂

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