Some parents think competition is a bad thing. They feel it puts too much stress and pressure on the kids to measure up. Or they want every kid to be a winner so they are not disappointed.
So yes it does ad pressure, stress and it also can lead to disappointment. And that is GREAT!! Life is full of little stress, pressure and sometimes disappointment. So it is our job as instructors and parents to help guide them on how to handle those emotions. We need to teach our kids how to win with grace and respect. We also need to teach them to lose and not be a bad sport. Rather we should teach how this should motivate them to work harder and get better so they get better results the next time.
Did you know Chuck Norris competed over 100 times before he ever won a major tournament? Yes, Chuck Norris, one of the most famous martial artists on the planet lost 100 times and he persevered and look where he is now.
Through a loss, we can teach our children about perseverance. Teach them how to not give up when things get hard. Teach them that winning for them may take even more work.
As a kid, I loved sparring!! I competed in a lot of tournaments. Every time I and all my competitors in my division lined up I noticed that I was always the shortest guy in the division. I lost and I lost a lot. One time I got beat 3-0 in 24 seconds. I started Karate when I was 7 years old and competed 3-4 times a year and did not win in sparring until I was 13. It took me six years to achieve that. All the losses taught me something. The most important loss was when I went against this one kid when I was 13 that always won. I started the match and got the first point. I was leading most of the match and ended up losing 3-2. However, I almost won!! At that time I knew I was close and I worked harder and won my next tournament. As an adult competitor, I won sparring for years without losing. I don’t say this to impress anyone but to impress upon you that it can be done. It takes losing, crying, sweating, stress, pressure, defeat and hard work to get there.
Our job as parents is to pick them up when they are down!! Praise Correct Praise. Maybe your kid did not give their best to get ready for their competition. Tell them great job for getting out there. Next time you could do even better if you give all-out effort. But, I am so proud of the courage you showed to get out there.
They won't always pass that class or get that promotion. Having healthy competition is great for your child to learn how to cope with not getting the results that you want at an early age. Competition is great for your children and helps prepare them for life. Kids working for themselves and achieving their goals is a fantastic learning tool for your children.
