My son Connor is a freshman in high school, and one of his goals is to play college baseball. He started to switch-hit three years ago and has had a rough go with it. He had every reason to quit because he was a good right-handed hitter, but he knew if he could hit from both sides of the plate, it would increase his value. He continued to work at it, and this year, he finally saw the fruits of his labor. He led his JV team in almost every offensive category, and 90% of his at-bats came left-handed.
From a young age, kids like to take risks. It’s in their blood. They want to run faster, jump higher, test their limits, and be recognized for what they do. Kids don’t dream about being average or settling for second best. I remember those feelings when I was growing up, and now, I get to watch it firsthand being a father. Great parents encourage their kids to take risks, and the benefits last a lifetime. Here are 3 benefits of risk-taking at a young age.
1. Courage
Taking a risk is not an easy decision. If it is, it’s really nts on the field, your kids will go through both good and bad experiences when they take risks. This is also where you step in as parents by being a positive encouragement to your child. Connor literaot a risk, is it? Deciding to take that first step is a big deal and it takes a lot of courage. This is a trait that is extremely important for kids to develop. It will benefit them in school, in extracurricular activities, and their future careers. Risk-taking is not just about your kid deciding if he wants to jump off a tire swing into the lake. It’s about having the guts to make the decision and finding out if the result was worth it.
2. Experiencing and Overcoming Failure
Just like Connor grinding through 3 years of mediocre resullly doubled his batting average from last season, and part of it was because he had coaches who believed in him and gave him the freedom to fail. When your kids know they have the freedom to fail, they will continue to take risks.
3. Problem Solving
Sometimes, when your kids take a risk, they find out the result wasn’t exactly what they wanted. This allows them to problem solve to help decide on what to do next. In a critical situation, they may need to formulate a quick solution, so developing the ability to problem solve is important.
Sound off: What are some other possible benefits of risk taking?
Huddle up with your kids and ask, “What’s the last risk you took, and what did you feel while doing it?”