Chess Parents FAQs
  • Blog
  • Index
  • 5334
  • Camp
  • About

Why parents are not best coach for your child?

11/21/2017

1 Comment

 
It's very good for a parent to introduce a child to chess. They share the same love, and have fun time together. In fact, when the child is young, age 4, 5, or 6, I really recommend parents to learn (if the parent  doesn't know how to play chess yet) and teach their own kids.

But when the child needs to improve, it's totally a different story. I suggest you to send your child to another teacher or coach. It would be a nightmare if you try to be your child's own coach, even if you play chess well. 

Let's assume that the parent knows chess well, maybe already a master, is it good for him/her to teach his/her own child? It's a NO.

First, children are not listening to parents, no matter how expert they are. It's much easier for a third party coach to tell the child what to do. It's same as school. Most kids will listen to their teachers, but not their parents.

Second, to make improvement, there will be inevitably a lot of criticisms. It's better to let the professional coach to deliver these criticisms. More efficient and less feeling hurt. The second part is in fact more important. Chess is not our destiny. From playing chess, we want to gain some benefits, no matter it's improving strategic thinking, improving concentration, or enhancing memory and abstract thinking. So we want to keep a close relationship with our child afterward. Acting as a coach in fact is counterproductive.

Third, most parents are not expert in chess. So teaching your child by yourself is like the blind men touching the elephant. It will take you a long time to figure out the correct approach, if you are lucky.

Therefore, seek for help, like in school, in sports, and in any other areas.


1 Comment
James Anderson link
4/9/2018 04:00:47 pm

I totally agree when you mentioned that it is better to let the professional coach deliver the criticism to a child or student when it comes to playing chess. I have a child who is interested in playing chess; and although I've taught the basics, I haven't gone through actually pointing out the mistakes that he commits during the game. This is because I fear that my child won't be able to separate who I am as a parent and someone who points out his mistakes in the game. I'll definitely look for classes that my son can attend to and let the experts handle his chess learning.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Coach Andy
    Princeton Chess Academy

    Having been a chess parent for more than 10 years himself, Coach Andy will answer questions about chess, chess education, scholastic chess for chess parents from his own experience and lessons. 

    Daily Puzzles

    Steps Method

    Online Course

    Chess^Summit


    Please like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    May 2019
    February 2019
    November 2018
    August 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

© Copyrights 2015 All Rights Reserved | Daily Math Worksheet, LLC