It can be a tricky balance to cultivate a healthy sense of competition in children. They have a lot to learn, and very quickly. Competition is something that happens in almost all walks of life. If your child takes part in group activities and sports, then most of the time there will be tournaments and competitions.
And it’s not just that. One of the most relaxing and often lucrative things that people do to make and save money is to take part in competitive websites too. So having a healthy attitude to winning, and not winning is important. And can be learned from an early age.
Photo by Jeffrey F Lin on Unsplash
Starting Point
You can start really small and simply have a cress growing contest. We all know that cress grows really quickly and easily. But some grow faster than others. This lighthearted intro into competition can be done safely in the home, and if it does get a bit emotional it is a safe space to process and discuss those emotions.
Learning to accept disappointment, and be gracious in loss is an essential life skill. It can make the competition more enjoyable too.
Role Models
If you don’t take the loss well, then it can be difficult for others to be gracious. A great coach for sports will also teach them how to be great at handling loss and winning too. They will actively encourage children to do their best, and stay in a healthy frame of mind.
Many coaches have also competed in the same sport or subject too, so they have a personal story to tell that can help too.
Celebrate
You can celebrate simply by taking part. Before the competition comes a lot of skills, learning, trying and failing and so much more. You can support children by getting your own Challenge Coins Ltd personalized stamped coin. This way that no matter what happens on the day, you have supported and cherished your children in the best way possible.
While many people still say that coming second doesn’t count – taking part still really does count.
Talk
There are a lot of big emotions in play when it comes to learning, doing, and competition. Learning to listen to what your child is saying is important. They will, from time to time, say that they want to quit. This often comes at the same time as new skills are being learned. Learning new skills is a process and it has highs and lows.
A low usually comes in the first few attempts. But once they have it down, that upset will be a distant memory. However, there are times they will say they have had enough and probably really mean it.
Letting your child try a number of sports, and other activities will allow them to find what it is they truly love. And they will be even more motivated to push themselves with little to no prompting. Teaching healthy competition is a life skill that will serve them for life in many different aspects.
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