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a father loudly curses at the football referee after his 9-year-old son gets a penalty. A mother berates the softball team's pitcher after she walks the third ll-year-old batter in a row. The rise in such bad parental sideline behavior has led some leagues to ask parents to sign "code of conduct" pledges or attend sportsmanship seminars. But when a parent gets boorish, should you ever take action on your own? Yes, unless the parent is getting violent. "You can't ignore it, because other parents are role models for your kids too," says Andrea Corn, Psy.D., a child and family psychologist in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and consultant to the National Alliance of Youth Sports. Wait until after the game or the next day, then try talking to the parent. Remain calm and don't put him on the defensive. Say, "Yeah, the ump blew that call, but you were really, really angry. How come?" Or, try a little levity: "This isn't the NBA; the kids are only 8." Sometimes acknowledging the inappropriateness of the behavior is enough to prevent a repeat performance. If you don't fael comfortable confronting the parent yourself, or if he's a frequent offender, calion a coach, an official or a

league representative 'to address the problem. . -Amy Z,int
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