The Delight of Teaching My Daughter Tennis

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Growing up, tennis wasn’t a sport I had the chance to dive into seriously. Sure, I took a few lessons and occasionally played with my brother at the park when a court was open. But let’s just say my technique was far from perfect. I learned this the hard way when I swung my racket with gusto, completely missing the ball and instead smacking my forehead. That little incident left me with a scar under my eyebrow—a wound I was too embarrassed to explain to my parents at the time.

So, when my daughter expressed a desire to take tennis lessons, I jumped at the opportunity to teach her and her sister a thing or two. Drawing from my childhood experiences, I was able to show them how to hold a racket properly and impart some basic yet crucial advice, like, “Aim for the ball, not your face!”

We began our lesson with some fun exercises, balancing balls on our rackets. I quickly noticed that my daughters were much more eager to play than to listen to my lengthy explanations. The initial swings were filled with misses that resembled cartoon antics.

I’ve always aimed to be the kind of parent who doesn’t pressure my kids into sports. I wanted them to enjoy learning at their own pace. However, I found myself wishing they could pick up the skills faster. Taking a deep breath, I reminded myself how happy they were, regardless of their progress.

As we played, my younger daughter lost interest and decided to practice on her own, employing some rather unconventional methods to hit the ball over the net. This gave me the chance to focus on my older daughter, who seemed determined and genuinely excited about learning. Having played a bit at camp, she was beginning to discover her love for the sport—an important turning point for a girl who had previously shown little interest in organized athletics. My wife and I were thrilled she was exploring this new interest, and we were ready to support her every step of the way.

I guided her to find her position on the court, placing her just inside the “T” halfway back to the service line (at least, I think that’s what it’s called!). I taught her the “ready” position, with knees bent and racket at the ready. After tossing her a few balls, she hit one into the net and sent another flying out towards the fence. I began hitting the ball to her gently, and gradually, she made contact.

Then, out of nowhere, she made a perfect return! I was caught off guard, not being in a good stance myself. I stumbled but managed to hit it back to her. And again—another volley! This time, I wasn’t prepared and hit it right into the net. My daughter beamed with pride; she had just played a game at camp where successful returns kept you in the game, and she had just scored her first point!

We continued hitting back and forth, but we never quite reached the same level of success as that first volley. After a while, we decided to call it a day, collecting the stray balls around the court. “How did that feel?” I asked her as we headed to the car. Her big smile melted my heart as she replied, “Proud.”

This experience brought us closer and highlighted the joy of shared moments. If you’re looking for more parenting stories or advice, check out our other blog post on home insemination here. If you’re curious about pregnancy topics, this resource is truly invaluable. And for those interested in at-home insemination, Make a Mom offers great insights and products.

In summary, teaching my daughter tennis became a heartwarming journey that not only fostered her interest in the sport but also created lasting memories between us.