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The Psychology of Tennis Parenting
Nurturing Happiness
“Winning isn’t the way to happiness … Happiness is the way to winning.”
Teach Happiness
At the heart of a tennis parent’s job description is to teach happiness. Happier athletes are more likely to play longer, develop deeper skill sets, perform more freely, become successful tennis athletes, and become accomplished adults. Neuroscientists report that just hearing another person laugh triggers mirror neurons in the brain—these mirror neurons insight laughter. Interestingly, to date, Harvard University’s most popular class is a happiness course taught by Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar.
Solution: Parental guidance greatly influences an athlete’s success, especially through modeling – children do what you do and not necessarily what you say. So, if you want to nurture happier athletes, the first step is to show happiness. Focus on the positive and avoid stressing the negative. Your happiness or disappointment affects your athlete tremendously. Joy and laughter are contagious, so laugh with your children daily. There is a time and a place for correction but be sure to lighten the mood on tournament days and enjoy the journey.
