We've got Olympic fever and we've got it bad. I've had to relax the ban on nighttime TV watching and throw bedtime out the window, and I'm OK with that. Football, baseball, basketball and hockey fans get your big sports moments every year, but swimmers have to wait four years for the spotlight to shine our way.

Our U.S. swimmers are not disappointing, either. Michael Phelps' redemption tour has gotten off to a great start, Katie Ledecky's positive mental attitude and the results that come with it are an affirmation, and Lilly King's finger moment did not blow up in her face, thank goodness.As a coach, I am excited. The Olympic years always bring an influx of new swimmers to our program, and along with new swimmers come new parents. So, I'm going to take a little detour this week and offer some advice that I've picked up over the years, as both a parent and a coach.Excuse me while I climb to the top of the podium … or, um, soap box.1 Set reasonable expectations. I cringe when a parent comes in on the first night of practice, or even at sign-ups, and says the word "Olympics" or "scholarship." Over a million young swimmers participate in age group programs across the country. Thousands go on to compete in college, and only 52 can make the Olympic team.Putting that kind of pressure on a 9-year-old isn't going to end well. Every kid, however, can benefit from learning a new skill, enjoy the health benefits of a sport and learn what it means to be part of a team. These skills will last a lifetime, and can be achieved by every young athlete.2 At the same time, dream big. You know the old saw, "If you shoot for the moon and miss, at least you'll still be among the stars."I was a mediocre swimmer at best. However, through coaching, I've traveled extensively, met thousands of new people, rubbed elbows with some of the greatest coaches in the world, and had the opportunity to help hundreds of kids come to love swimming as much as I do. I even paid for part of my college expenses by working as a swim coach through my college years. It doesn't quite have the same cachet as Olympic gold, but it has made my life complete, and I wouldn't change a thing.3 Ledecky said it best: "You get out of it what you put into it." Guess what? This is not something that kids are born knowing. They have to learn it.Be an example. Find a place somewhere between the parent who leaves them at the door and the helicopter parent who breathes down their neck and questions everything a coach does. Most youth sports programs are run by volunteers, and help is at a premium. You don't know anything about said sport? Not an excuse. There are still fundraisers to be run, uniforms to be ordered, paperwork to be completed, award banquets to be coordinated, equipment to be maintained. It takes all of those things, and more, to make an organization function well. Show your kids that you're as committed to the team's success as they should be.Honor their commitment to the team. Eight-year-olds don't drive. They need you to get them to practice. I know you had the worst day ever at work, there are piles of laundry to be done, and the next season of "House of Cards" just got released on Netflix, but you need to get them to practice. Your kids had the worst day ever, six hours of homework, and the swimsuit is in one of those piles of laundry? This is a great time to talk about priorities. In our house, school work always comes first, but after that, any hint of wanting to shirk out of practice is met with a Michael Phelps-worthy death stare. Show your kids that responsibility matters, and that you're going to dig deep to overcome obstacles and they will, too.4 Listen to your kids. I'm going to admit, this here is the one I struggle with the most. Maybe it could be better phrased as "learn when to listen to your kids." The MP death stare is most appropriate for the general "I'm feeling lazy and just feel like skipping out of practice" whine, but the conversation that starts with "Mom, I want to quit swimming … because I want to try playing basketball" needs to be given all your attention. I've recently had to have this conversation, and I've got to admit, I'm struggling with it. However, seeing G light up on the basketball court is easing the pain of him leaving "my sport."5 Understand that whatever sport your child chooses to play, it is a process. Sure, there are "naturals" but they are rare birds. Most sports involve the coordination of a number of gross and fine motor skills, which can sometimes take years to develop. Combined with learning the cognitive aspects of a sport, like rules and terminology, and the occasional growth spurt, which upends everything, and kids can be overwhelmed. I hate when kids quit or parents allow kids to quit because they aren't winning after a few weeks or months on the team. There is so much more to be taken away from a sport than winning. Compliment their successes and help them get back up when they fail. If a decision is made to leave a sport, focus on what gains were made and lessons were learned, rather than shortcomings or failures.I remember a girl who started swimming with me as an 8-year-old and she introduced herself by telling me that she LOVED swimming. It was her most favorite sport ever. She proceeded to get in the pool and practically drown. She continued almost drowning for the next several years. She gave it her all, but swimming just wasn't clicking for her. But almost daily, she assured me that she loved swimming more than anything.Her mom would frequently hit me up with concerns about how awful her daughter was and her slow progress, but her face blossomed into a smile and support immediately when she came out of the locker room. Later in her career, much later, long after I had stopped being her coach, she went on to break several school records and medal at the PIAA State swim meet.It's OK for kids to be bad at something. Unconditional parental support, fighting through failure, and learning to overcome adversity are lessons that will benefit your kids long after the gold medals have become tarnished and relegated to a cardboard box under the bed.Liz Pinkey is a contributing writer to the Times News. Her column appears weekly in our Saturday feature section.