Sadly, we’ve probably all seen examples of ‘competitive parents’ where kids are bullied into participating in a sport that holds no allure for them simply because the parent wants to relive his sporting experiences or because they want to bathe in their child’s reflected glories.

This is one of the biggest turn-offs for a child and can lead to rebellion in teenage years, where the child rejects all sporting activity as a result. If you’re reading this book, then it’s very unlikely that you’re the sort of unaware character who would resort to these bullying tactics but, even so, there are a few pitfalls to avoid when trying to induce your child to be more active:

1 Never force your child into an activity that holds no appeal for him, or compare him to active friends/cousins/boy next door.

2 Don’t expect him to excel at an activity or sport simply because you were good at it at school. He is not a mini version of you.

3 Don’t slob about at home after a hard day’s work if you expect him to get out there and be active. Remember you’re a role model.

4 Don’t dwell on the fact that you have always hated PE and did everything in your power to get out of PE at school. Put that behind you because you have now got to make an effort to be positive about being active for the sake of your family’s health.

5 Don’t be too blatant. If you jump at every opportunity to get your child signed up for an activity, however unsuitable, he will soon pick up on your desperation to get him fit and will recoil. Worse still, in typical childlike fashion, he could also interpret your actions as, ‘S/he doesn’t like me how I am. I’m a disappointment.’ Subtlety is the name of the game.

6 Don’t resort to emotional blackmail when things aren’t going to plan. If your child isn’t sticking to any of the new activities, or still shows no sign of enthusiasm, frustration can lead to a ‘do you know how much I’ve spent on this?’ style knee-jerk reaction. Playing the ‘after all I’ve done for you’ card usually cuts no ice with youngsters and is, more often than not, counter productive – making him less likely to want to try something new next time.