I'll pause while your brain absorbs that.
Yea, you read that right: She wants to scream at her child for showing compassion over a desire to win. (In case you are wondering, her child isn't even in kindergarten yet.) So, not only is winning more important to her, but she is willing to embarrass or inflict emotional hurt on her child to ensure that is his priority also. Please, tell me that I am missing something here.
I wish this mom's status was an isolated case of an overzealous competitive spirit, but I don't think that is the case. I see how school-aged boys act. There is no such things as a friendly video game or playing sports just for the enjoyment of it. Everything has a winner and quite a few losers sulking because they fell short. I can't help but feel that society crossed a line without even realizing that there was a line. In doing that, everybody became a loser because we lost sight that the entire point of sports is enjoyment.
I understand that competition will always exist, especially in boys, and I don't think that is a bad thing. Competition can be a great thing, if we let it develop naturally and take the time to teach our kids that winning isn't everything. Or keep doing what you've been doing, but I can tell you that there is at least one mom out there creating a new sport called "Slap-The-Fanatical-Parent" and I have every intention of setting the high score.
I want to slap those parents too... I played sports, I watch sports, I yell and shout at the TV/field... but when I was playing I was more of the laid-back, eh, as long as we're having fun everything is good type player... and I will NEVER get into my kids' faces about winning, especially at the cost of other children. My kid will NOT be a bully, on the sports field, or anywhere else. XO
ReplyDeletePoor child will need serious therapy :( I once saw a woman at the grocery store yelling at her (had to have been 2 year old) that he "misbehaves every goddamn time I have to go to the grocery store!!" The kid was standing by a step stool playing with his GI Joe looking figure completely quiet.
ReplyDeleteReally lady?? You need to calm down and as much as I wanted to tell her that I didn't because parenting is such a slippery slope.
It's funny because as much as I've always been a "no competition" parent and raised my kids accordingly, I've noticed lately that my kids and the others who've been raised this way could maybe use a little "fire in the belly." I totally agree that we should be teaching good sportsmanship and having fun, but I also have trouble with the whole "no scoring" and "everybody gets a trophy." I don't think it does anyone any good when they're told they've done something good and they really haven't.
ReplyDeleteThat said, it sounds like I've been surrounded by much more mellow people than you guys have so far. And I always feel really sad when I run into someone who's so hardcore and serious. They usually have really stressed out kids, and they don't even notice.