Competiveness in sport

What happened to kids sport being fun? Why are so many kids so competitive? Is it the parents putting pressure on them? In some cases, yes, it is. I've heard parents threaten to punish their child if he/she doesn't do well in their chosen sport. That is ridiculous!

If your child plays sport, remind him/her that it is for fun. Encourage your child to do their best in the sport, but don't push them. My 2 youngest attend an after-school sport & activity program designed to get kids active. One day they formed teams for a game - a boy told my youngest that the team lost because of her! I assured her that a 'team' loses because of the whole team, not one person. I also reminded her that it does not matter if they lose, as long as they enjoy themselves.

It is just such a shame to see such bad sportsmanship at such a young age (the boy is about 8 years old).

Teach your children what it really means to have fun in sport. Talk to them about the fact that some kids may be better at playing some sport than others, but that does not make them a better person. Everyone is different, and while some are good at sports, others are good at other things.

When your child does lose in their sport, don't put them down (it's a shame to say I've heard parents really run kids down for losing). All you will do is lower their self-esteem. Tell them you are proud of how well they tried - that is the important thing. My daughter usually finishes last in running races but I have taught her to laugh about it. I told her, oh, well, someone has to come last. It really made her feel better. She loves to get out there and just have a go and that makes me proud, whether she does well or not.

If you have more than one child playing in sports, and one is better than the other, make sure you still give both, or all, just as much praise. For example, my son does do better than his sister at sporting activities, so when he tells me how well he has done and I say good on you, that's great, I find something to praise my daughter with, too. I tell her she made a fantastic effort and did very well.

Don't let your kids be so competitive that they run down others. Teach them to play fair. Tell them it's just a game, it's just fun. Let your kids be kids.