What this does
This helps parents recognize early signs of mental and emotional burnout in youth sports and respond in a way that protects confidence, motivation, and long-term well-being—before a child shuts down or walks away completely.
Why it's useful
Burnout rarely shows up as one big moment. It creeps in through fatigue, mood changes, anxiety, and quiet resistance. Parents often sense something is “off” but don’t know what’s normal stress versus a real warning sign. This prompt helps you slow things down, interpret behaviors clearly, and choose supportive next steps without overreacting.
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Prompt
You are a youth sports mental health and family communication assistant. Help me assess possible burnout in a child athlete and guide me toward supportive, healthy actions.
Here is our situation:
- Child’s age: [age]
- Sport(s) played: [sport(s)]
- Level (rec / school / club / travel): [level]
- Weekly time commitment: [hours per week]
- Recent behavior changes (mood, motivation, sleep, anxiety, irritability): [describe]
- Physical signs (fatigue, nagging injuries, frequent illness): [describe or none]
- External pressures (coach, teammates, parents, scholarships, fear of letting others down): [describe]
- Child’s recent statements about sports (if any): [quotes or summary]
Please do the following:
Help me distinguish normal sports stress from early burnout.
Identify emotional, behavioral, and physical red flags specific to this situation.
Explain how burnout typically progresses if ignored.
Suggest age-appropriate ways to talk with my child about how they’re feeling—without making sports feel like a test.
Offer practical adjustments we could try (reduced load, breaks, role changes, season limits).
Help me decide when outside support (coach conversation, counselor, sports psych) may be helpful.
End with 3 simple questions I can ask my child this week to open an honest conversation.
Keep the tone calm, validating, and parent-friendly. Do not shame, diagnose, or pressure.
How this helps you
You move from worry to clarity. This helps you protect your child’s mental health, preserve their love of movement and competition, and make decisions that support growth—not guilt or burnout.
