Your child usually already knows when the game went badly. They felt the strikeout. They saw the error. They do not always need a complete breakdown before the cleats are off.
Read the child before following a prepared script.
Start with: “How did you feel out there today?” or “What did you think about the game?” Then listen.
Focus first on controllables: preparation, hustle, listening, response to mistakes, and whether they stayed connected to the team.
The ride home should begin perspective—not become a courtroom.
Read more in the book