The Parents Role: When They Dream, and When They Don’t
There’s something sacred about the early days of a dream.
The way they whisper it at bedtime…
“I want to play in the WNBA.”
“I want to win a gold medal.”
“I want to hit a homerun.”
And we, as parents, we let our hearts go there.
We imagine it too.
We google camps.
We buy the gear.
We become quiet architects of possibility.
Sometimes, we dream even bigger than they do.
And maybe that’s okay.
Maybe it’s part of the job —
to hold space for the impossible,
to believe when the world says the odds are 1 in 10,000,
to be the keeper of hope on the hard days.
But It can’t become our dream.
We don’t get to own it.
We don’t get to chase it harder than they want to.
We don’t get to push when their heart starts pulling away.
Because a dream only works if the dreamer wants it.
Not once. Not always.
But still — wants it.
And when that changes — when they turn to you and say,
“I’m done.”
Or “I don’t love it anymore.”
Or “I’m tired.”
That’s when the real work begins.
To pivot.
To listen.
To console.
To trust that maybe, just maybe,
this was never the final destination — just a chapter.
You’re not failing if your child walks away.
You’re not quitting if you say, “I’m proud of you no matter what.”
You’re parenting —
deeply, fully, lovingly —
when you let their dream lead,
even if it leads them somewhere new.
So yes, dream big with them.
Cheer loud.
Wake up early.
Drive the miles.
Build it brick by brick if they ask you to.
But hold it lightly.
Because one day, they may hand it back to you.
And your love — your unshakable, unconditional love —
needs to be what remains in its place.
For more like this and support along your journey, visit Ilovetowatchyouplay.com
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What No One Tells You About Being a Sports Parent
A Father’s Ode To His Son’s Last Game
Nine Signs Your Child Has Burnout
The Reasons Girls Should Play Sports
My Daughter Quit Sports and This is What I Want Youth Sports Parents to Know
About The Author
Asia Mape is a 3-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, former Division I athlete, youth sports advocate, and founder of Ilovetowatchyouplay.com. She’s a mom to three daughters—one Division I athlete, one soon-to-be, and one who ‘retired’—and all of their journeys through sport have shaped her mission to help other families navigate the chaos, pressure, and beauty of raising young athletes.
