again(Kantrowitz 2000).How does this happen? How do children go from sport prodigies one minute toAll-American busts the next? Sean McCann, a psychologist with the U.S. Olympic commiteesays the problem is that to many families center around one child rather than the whole family. Inthese child-centered families, the star athelete grabs all the attention- as well as complete controlof the entire family. Everything else- the parents marriage, other siblings-are all secondary. Allof a sudden, young atheletes arent just playing sports for fun or personal enjoyment, but theyreplaying so the whole family wont be let down, a pressure that can occasionally suffocate a child.Psychologist Shane Murphy, who has worked with Olympians in the past, recallshow his starathelets would buckle under ever-mounting parental pressure. I cant even count how manyatheletes have come into my office and said, Look, Im doing it, but I hate it., says Murphy. My parents have invested $80,000, and they want me to do it for a few more years(Feldman1989).According to reseachers, the best parents are the ones who allow their children to followtheir own paths. If the child does have a special talent, he/she should be encouraged-not forced-topractice and improve. The parents should also be able to curb the childs participation when itstarts to consume his life. Its very natural for parents to identify with their children and wantthem to do well, says Ronald Smith, a psychologist at the University of Washington. Thedanger occurs when the parent begins to live through the child(Kantrowitz 1996). Parentsshould root for their children to do well strictly for the child. Some parents, who never playedsports or werent very good when they were young, want the child to do well, so the parents feellike they are the ones doing well. Adds Smith, The danger occurs when the parent begins to livethrough the child(Kantrowitz 1996). Adoloscenece is commonly when burnout occurs in a pres...
