Why This Olympic Medalist Doesn't Want People to Push Their Kids Into Sports
Lots of parents feel the need to immediately get their kids enrolled on some kind of team or into some kind of sports camp. Because how are their kids going to go pro if they don’t get started as a tot? How are they going to develop their gross motor skills if they’re not going for gold while also going for Goldfish? And how are they ever going to make friends if not on the field?
Well, Olympic medalist Michelle Kwan is setting the record straight. In a new video on Instagram with her 2-year-old daughter Kalista, she said that parents often ask her how early they should enroll their kids in sports.
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“And my rule of thumb is to ease them into it and just let them play,” she said. In the video, the Olympic figure skater blows bubbles in her living room, and her toddler goes after them with a mini tennis racket.
“Here’s me trying to get Kali to play tennis,” Kwan joked over the video that she then captioned, “Finding creative ways to get my daughter to pick up some sports 🤩🎾⚽️🛼⛸️🤸🏽♀️🏀⛳️.”
It’s such a fun and low-pressure way to get kids active and possibly interested in sports. If Kali finds she doesn’t care for tennis, not only did Kwan at least get her daughter off the couch, but she saved a lot of money on lessons.
“Yes!” one follower commented. “And I think if we all remembered … it’s alright for adults to play we would be more active! 🙌”
“So beautiful,” another said of the adorable mother-daughter moment.
Others loved Kwan’s tennis idea, suggesting she give it a try with balloons instead of bubbles too. “Who needs pickleball when you can play bubble ball!!” another commented.
Kwan is also sparking Kali’s interest in yoga. Not by forcing it on her, but by doing her own routine out in the open for her daughter to see and possibly copy. Last month, the American ambassador to Belize shared a video on Instagram of her practicing yoga in the kitchen. Kali was quick to join in for the stretches she was interested in … and happily bounced away when she was done.
“I agree with the baby. Three stretches is enough 😁😂😂😂 #itsplaytime,” one follower joked.
But who knows. Maybe tomorrow it will be four. It’s all on Kali’s timeline.
Before you go, check out these celebrity kiddos who love sports.
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