For an athlete, a coach is someone who not only trains the athlete to perform well, but also cheers the athlete during the match. Likewise, parents are people who train and support their children so that they can play well in the game of life. Parents are not the players, but the ones who should train the players and cheer them when they play the game of life. Cheering is to encourage players to do well when the players are on the pitch. True cheering includes not only encouraging but also trusting them that they can do well. When players lose a game, a good coach does not criticize them, but comfort and encourage them to stand up again by overcoming despair. Above all, a good coach is someone who motivates the players so that they don't get frustrated even when the situation is bad. In that sense, a coach is not just a person who trains skills, but a person who guides the mind of the players and trains the attitude and manners of playing with others. Wise parents are coaches who train their children the attitude to live a life by cheering them. Often people perceive a coach who trains athletes as someone who deals with them harshly. In fact, there are coaches like that. But a good coach deals with the players with love and respect even when he or she gives hard training to the players. A good coach knows how to build trusting relationships with the players. The relationship of trust is built upon the coach's love and respect for the player and the player's respect and love for the coach. The same is true of the relationship between parents and children. A good coach does not ignore or ridicule any of the players even when the scores are not good. He or she kindly explains the rules and gives them the necessary training by setting an example for playing the game. Training can be difficult at times, but through this training process, the players will be able to learn how to play well. Training children requires patience from both parents and children. Parents need coaching wisdom so that their children can go through the training that requires patience without giving up. To understand parent’s role as a coach, as an example, we can think about teaching our child how to drive. Even before children turn 16 years old when they are allowed to drive, parents must remember that they are already teaching their children how to drive while riding them in the back seat. Before parents actually teach their children how to hold the steering wheel, it is important for them to remember that children learn driving etiquette by sitting behind their parents and watching their parents drive. In short, parents need to be good examples to their children before they teach something to their children.
(Jin Gyung Park) | 
