This is for the parental units, so mom and dad, listen up. Do you want to help your son or daughter make it in hockey? Do you want to learn how to support them? Do you want to know what you need to do no matter what age, skill level or point in life your kid is at? This section will have articles, information, and resources. Moms and Dads may contribute their own thoughts and advice. If you're interested please send us a note to parents@mypuck.com.

 
  This is a good question and one I've been asked and heard from afar many times in my life.  The question is, "Is my kid any good?".  Unfortunately the answer is - I don't know.  That's a little blunt so let me explain why.
  Far too often we feel we've seen a parent who thinks their kid is so good he's going to be in the NHL at 18.  But most parents wonder if their kid really is good enough to make it to the NHL.  How would you know?  Can you figure it out?  Can I find out if my 8 year old will be the next Crosby?
  I'll say this, you can't know and you shouldn't know.  I mean, let's be serious here, kids aren't ready for that kind of pressure, they aren't physically ready to compete at a man's level of the game, so why try to figure out if they can?  How can you figure it out when there's so much learning going on, so much change?  It's not that your kid can't be the next Crosby but why not let him do his thing and learn and grow while you, as a parent, supports his growth?
  The truth behind it all is, as parents we need to learn to be there for our kids, to help them grown, not just as hockey players, but as positive members of society.  We spend but a few hours a day on the ice, only so many years as a hockey player, life lasts a lot longer than that, so what really is more important?