PARENTS come in for a real public bashing these days as we become super-critical.

I’ve done it myself, frequently ranting about perceived poor parenting skills which impact badly on young people and their development. Possibly, even, an absence of parenting leading to neglect of children and all the awful consequences.

However, it’s time to shine a positive spotlight on all the terrific parents who put their children and their needs first. And what better time than the Rio Olympics?

Here, alongside the tales of fantastic athletes who, like US gymnast Simone Biles, overcame a terrible start in life to triumph, there are the not so well-chronicled home lives of Olympic athletes who owe so much to their parents. The parents of Bryony Page, for example – the first Team GB athlete ever to win a medal for trampolining – were interviewed in Rio and it was plain that they had devoted years to helping her. Her brother in the studio was equally supportive, proud and emotional.

Our own Jason Kenny definitely owes much of his cycling success to the early active support of his parents, Lorraine and Michael. In the Bolton area right now, there are families who gear their lives to their children’s sporting hopes. That may be getting up at 5am to take a promising young swimmer to the pool, trekking across the country each weekend for tennis or badminton tournaments for a child with talent or just standing on the touch-line each weekend in the football season encouraging a son or daughter.

Parents put themselves out, giving their own time and efforts – often getting involved in the organisation of a particular sport through them - because they love their children and want them to be the best they want to be. Parents all know that not every child will be a Mo Farah or Jessica Ennis-Hill. They can see what percentage of young footballers never become a top-flight professional. They understand what can make a top athlete or just someone who will always enjoy sport but possibly never really excel. And still they do it because it gives their child enjoyment, a sense of achievement and boosts their individual development and social skills. Perhaps we should really give out Olympic medals to mums and dads to reflect their achievement, their input, over the years. I suspect it would bring a major medal horde for Team GB.