It didn’t take long for my son to find his happiness in sports. At 2， Eric loved taking swimming classes. By 3， when he had to choose between going to the pool and playing at the park， the water always won. By his fourth birthday he could swim freestyle and butterfly. Eric is 8 now and he’s still at it — the first one in the pool at the start of team practice and the last one out at the end. Not only does swimming bring him joy and keep him fit， but his teammates are also his best friends， and he’s learned how to win （and lose） with pride.
　　Like Eric， many children today are introduced to different sports before they learn to read. A few years ago， he tried some sports （soccer， baseball， basketball） at day camp and in casual classes. Swimming simply rose to the top over the others， although he also enjoys tennis and golf when it’s not swim season. He’s right on time， say coaches， who agree that 7- and 8-year-olds often take it to the next level by joining a team and developing a continuous love for organized sports.
　　“Loving a sport will teach children important life skills - following rules， willingness to try new things， working with others and commitment，” says Laurie Zelinger， Ph.D.， a child psychologist in Cedarhurst， New York. However there are some difficulties to work through - from choosing the right sport to finding a team with a helpful， encouraging and supportive coach and to learning to watch from the sidelines without making your kid anxious. We’ve written a playbook of ways to help kids get in the game and have a positive attitude if they win or lose.
　　Vocabulary
　　freestyle n. 自由泳
　　butterfly n. 蝶泳
　　Questions
　　1. Have sports ever brought you happiness？ If so， tell your parents about your feelings. （For students）
　　2. What sport does your child love most？ What can you do better to help them with sports？ （For parents）
　　童家鑫改编