Oddziaływania rodzicielskie w rozwijaniu uzdolnień sportowych dzieci w czasie izolacji społecznej spowodowanej pandemią COVID-19
Parental Impact on Developing Children’s Sports Abilities in Times of Social Isolation Caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic

Summary/Abstract: RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The aim of the article is to learn about parental experiences and impact related to the development of sports abilities in children before and during social isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: In the presented article, parents’ statements regarding their influence on the development of their children’s sports abilities in a situation of social isolation were analyzed. The research method was the in-depth free interview. THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: The key concepts for the analysis were defined and the importance of parental impact for the development of children’s sports abilities was characterized. RESEARCH RESULTS: In parental activities aimed for the development of children’s sports abilities before the pandemic, the most important are: early identification of children’s potential, decision on developing their skills, involvement of parents in the organization and financing of various forms of development, care for overall physical development and health, and providing mental support. During the social isolation caused by COVID-19, the parents’ actions changed their nature – it was necessary to find a place and time at home for training, as well as organizational and mental support, especially motivation, while reconciling it with learning and remote work of all family members. The difficulty for parents was that they had to replace the coaches at home, without having the appropriate competences to do so, and also working on motivating their child to keep them in sports and regular training. On the other hand, when analyzing the opportunities related to the development of sports skills resulting from social isolation, their relationship with the specific experiences of young athletes becomes apparent. CONCLUSIONS, INNOVATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATION: During the pandemic, parents were forced to take over the function of trainers, mostly without sufficient competences or domestic conditions. Excluding specialized institutions from caring for gifted people can significantly reduce the motivation of young athletes and thus lead to a loss of achievement.

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