WATCH: Oh, Kmart!
Pamela Poole: Talk About a Choking Hazard! What I Never Expected to…
Debbie Phelps Chats About Highs and Lows as Mom of an Olympic Legend
Filed under: Sports
Debbie Phelps with her Olympian son Michael and her daughters Hilary and Whitney. Credit: Laisee Rintel
ParentDish recently caught up with Debbie Phelps, mother of gold medal swimmer Michael Phelps, to chat about parenting at poolside. Her daughters Hilary and Whitney also were elite swimmers.In her book, "A Mother for All Seasons," Debbie, a middle school principal near Baltimore, opens up about her life. In a recent interview with ParentDish, she spoke about happy and challenging times. An edited version of the conversation follows.
ParentDish: What goals did you have for your children when they started swimming?
Debbie Phelps: I just wanted them to enjoy what they were doing. I wanted them to succeed. I wanted to set the bar high for them, so they would continuously strive.
PD: In your book, you write about "excesses" of swim parents. What were you referring to?
DP: I've had parents say to me, "My child has this many trophies and ribbons but they want to stop swimming." The parent doesn't want them to stop. If Michael didn't love the sport, would he have been able to execute the performance he did in 2008? I'm not a coach. But as a parent, I don't think so.
PD: What advice would you give to parents hoping their child will make the Olympics, even be the next Michael Phelps?
DP: This is just Debbie talking. But my goal was never for Michael to be an Olympian. That was never even a thought in my head. That was Michael's goal.
P: In your book, you write about your own children having setbacks in swimming. One example is Whitney's struggles with injuries and an eating disorder.
DP: I never had two children in the same pool. I had three different athletes going three different places every night. I wasn't the one seeing Whitney in a suit all the time. I'd pick her up from practice. They [girls on the team] had on their flannel bottoms and hoodies. So I didn't detect that eating disorder. Shame on me as a mother. Whitney's goal was to make the 1996 Olympic team [a goal she fell short of]. She was going to do everything she could to become faster. Instead, it was a detriment to her health and performance.
PD: After the high points at the 2008 Olympics, Michael has had some low ones, too. Some parents reading this probably will be wondering: Was Debbie angry with Michael last February? [when a photo surfaced of Michael smoking from a marijuana pipe].
DP: Disappointed, but not angry. When I speak to groups, the first question I ask is: Has anyone here ever made a mistake? Because there isn't anyone on the face of the earth who has never made one. It just so happens some people's mistakes get broadcast through the media while others do not. We all do things that are foolish. But they are life lessons. That's how we grow.
ParentDish sports reporter Mark Hyman is the author of "Until It Hurts: America's Obsession With Youth Sports and How It Harms Our Kids" (Beacon Press).
Have a suggestion for an article on youth sports? Contact Mark at pdyouthsports@aol.com.
Related: Kearney Wins Gold, Ohno Scores Silver - Olympic Weekend Highlights
ParentDish sports reporter Mark Hyman is the author of "Until It Hurts: America's Obsession With Youth Sports and How It Harms Our Kids" (Beacon Press).
Have a suggestion for an article on youth sports? Contact Mark at pdyouthsports@aol.com.
Related: Kearney Wins Gold, Ohno Scores Silver - Olympic Weekend Highlights
Your<span>Voice</span>
Ask Us Anything About Parenting
Recently Asked
- Discuss Derian douglas hickman's answer to: 01/16/2013 Order Sua Sponte to/for: Entered 2 day's before initial scheduling conference 01/16/2013
- Government theft , war, paper reduction act?
- If i own all or most of the property in dc think the mayor already knows. president and others including Embassies. on my property for 20 +years
TheTalkies:RelatedVideos
-
Heart Truth Red Dress Collection Fall 2012 at New York Fashion Week
Aisha Tyler, Debbie Phelps, Elisabeth Rohm, Giselle Blondet, Jenna Elfman, Jennifer Nettles, and Rose McGowan pose on the runway at The Heart Truth's Red Dress Collection 2012 Fashion Show at Hammerstein Ballroom at the at New York Fashion Week.
-
How to Make Whole Wheat Pretzels
Deborah Kloha and her cooking partner Anna make Homemade Whole Wheat Pretzels on this April installment of ParentDish's P'Dishes with Debbie.
-
How to Make Jambalaya
Deborah Kloha and her cooking partner Anna make Jambalaya on this March installment of ParentDish's PDishes with Debbie.
-
How to Make White Chocolate Mousse
Deborah Kloha and her cooking partner Anna make White Chocolate Mousse on this installment of ParentDish's PDishes with Debbie.
SitesWeLove
- Site Map
- |
- Staff
- |
- Terms of Service
- |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Trademarks
- |
- Advertise With Us
- |
- About Our Ads
- |
- AOL Downloads
- |
- Contact Us
- |
© Copyright 2012 AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Aol Family
ReaderComments (Page 5 of 5)
2-20-2010 @ 4:03PM
westflorida said...he smoked pot and so what? his worst mistake was to get caught.
i don't smoke, i don't drink, i don't gamble and i have a healthy life.
i can assure if pot was legal, i'd definitely would be using it. but at my age, i'd have a lot to loose being thrown in jail for such a petty crime.
some people on this board say they don't understand why others can't enjoy life without being intoxicated. you could apply this thinking to a lot of other issues like; why don't you tell an overweight person; can you enjoy life without eating yourself to death?... or tell a lady; can you enjoy you natural beauty without putting make up on?
of course eating, gambling, alcohol etc... are all legal. but i just don't see why pot is so much worse (in people's mind).
400000 death per year are due to poor health habits and let's not talk about tobacco... i am not making that up; just do a quick check on your net browser under cause of death in the US.
people will always do things to make themselves feel better and i see nothing wrong with that. it's all about restraint; once you abuse a good thing then you have a problem. it just doesn't apply only to pot...
Reply
2-20-2010 @ 4:39PM
Michele Duncan said...There is nothing, that is in concrete, that one parent households can't raise wonderful human beings! When a parent is widowed, should they be ridiculed that they are the only parent that is raising their children? My nephew just died tragically, without warning, at the age of 40. He left behind his loving wife and 2 children (ages 2 & 4). He was a minister of God and a truly good man. Now, his wife is alone to raise their children. She has no plans of sharing their children with another man, just to have a second parent involved! Look at our President, he was basically raised by one parent! There is no end to the possibilities that a one parent can have on the development & success of raising their children!
Reply
2-20-2010 @ 5:22PM
coolrayfruge said...Its the law, not the plant that destroys lives!
The Marijuana law that was passed ,based on false information and lies.
This Communist society we live in is looking for way to imprison non- violent American people.
Rob them of their possessions,property,and constitutional rights.
Between the IRS and the DEA they are doing just that.
Reply
2-20-2010 @ 7:01PM
Ann said...I really thought the whole thing was ignorant. Seth was an excellent Olympian, and some nosey person photoed him in his privacy. wrong wrong. Hope there are no problems for him in the summer olympics. GO SETH!!
Reply