Unsolicited Advice Part 6: Create a Schedule and Hold Them Accountable

As parents, it is our responsibility to guide our children through life and I encourage you to do so unapologetically. We have to remind ourselves that given the choice, kids will avoid the hard path and choose the easy one most of the time.

I hear parents say all the time, “I can’t want it more than they do,” and I agree. However, I also believe it is our job to push our kids outside their comfort zones to ensure they are growing and moving toward the goals they set for themselves.

Getting up before school for a 45-minute workout at the YMCA or heading to the garage for 30 minutes of ball-handling is hard. But that is what it takes to be good, to be great, and to separate themselves from the competition.

Kids don't yet realize how detrimental it is to skip these daily efforts; they don't fully grasp the power of consistency, persistence, and resilience. As parents, we know the value of simply showing up and letting routine and discipline take over, especially on the days we don't feel like doing it.

So don’t apologize for pushing them. Set the schedule, hold the standard, and help them build the discipline they’ll rely on for the rest of their lives. They may not thank you today, but the athlete and the adult they become tomorrow certainly will.