The competitive nature

I think a healthy amount of competition is vital for kids. They need to learn how to handle wins and losses.. because that's how the real world is. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and you have to take both with dignity and composure. It's important to teach them how to do this at a young age. I think parents tend to screw this up a lot though. Some parents are overly competitive, and make their kids overly competitive, which isn't healthy! I am a competitive person by nature.. I'm a bit of a sore loser. But when my kids lose a game I tell them "You can't win them all". I do not get irritated when my kid's team loses... I do get irritated when there are kids on the same team that don't really want to be there but the parents force them to be just to get them involved in something. Those kids don't even try, and it drives me crazy! Sure my kids teams can't possibly win all the time, but they'd have better chances if every kid on the team tried his or her best!

I think competitive sports is good and builds character. I think if parents are over zealous then they ruin it for the children when they compete. If the child likes what she does and enjoys it is a good thing. If the child does not enjoy what they are doing then they should have the option to stop. It is fun to watch and the anticipation is awesome at times.

hi dorannmwin my son is grown up but I think competitive sports for children are fine if the parents do not get so involved they are in the refs. face all the time.If the parents just come and watch and do not involved in the decisions from the coaches its really good for t hem. It is a learning experience they will use in later years as an adult.

When children are grown they are forced into many competitive situations, children who have never experienced this while under the care of grown ups are at a real disavantages. I was raised that way, my parents thought they would help upgrade the world by raising non competitive children. Well it didn't work, I was born into the world kicking and screaming to get ahead, it would have been so much more help if they had been there to guide me in my competitive nature.

I think being in a competitive sport is great for kids, that is, if the kid likes the sport and enjoys participating in the sport. In figure skating and in ice hockey, I've seen too many kids who are literally forced into the sport by their parents - poor kids don't have a healthy attitude about competition nor being in the sport. I promised myself I'd never become one of those witchy parents!! My daughter loves skating for now, but we're not putting her in lessons or classes at the moment (she needs to "listen" a little better). When she does take lessons, inevitably that will mean going into competition - that's just part of the sport. I think she will do better in an individual sport (instead of a team sport) because of her personality - so perhaps skating does suit her . . . but we want her to decide whether or not she wants to truly pursue it. I wish my parents had put me in a sport when I was younger (I think I had potential to do well in physical activities). Instead, they put me in more "mental" activities - like my cousins . . . my parents thought it was best to put me in what everyone else was doing, rather than my "interests". So I really look carefully at my child and see what her interests are and go with that. Hope your daughter had a great swim meet!!

I think it is good for children to be involved in competitive sports. It helps kids understand about practice, discipline, determination, as well as teaching you to deal with your nerves and the pressure. Kids have to learn to both win and lose, whether it is playing board games or running a race. In life, they will pass or fail exams, get a job or not, audition for a part in a play, all sorts of things. Any experience they already have in competing, winning and losing will be vital for the rest of life. Even getting the partner of their dreams may be like a competition with others!

That's great to hear Dora! Congratulations to her! Tell her that Mimpi has wished her luck in whatever she dos. Coming to competitions, I feel competitive sports is just a great way to relieve the emotional hazards that children go through. I do not support the kind of competitions that the reality TV shows come up with though. However, sports is a great way to develop interactive skills. So, well done both of you.

i dont see a problem with it. i think it teaches kid team work plus it teaches that a little friendly competition doesnt hurt and winning isnt everything.

dorannmwin, All my children are in their schools' swim team and one of them has already been selected for the National Age Group meet - which will be the next step to representing our country. "The purpose of competition is not to beat someone down, but to bring out the best in every player." Walter Wheeler. As in the words of Walter Wheeler, I always remind them that it is not about winning when they compete but to remember that they will need to do their personal best and most of all enjoy themselves. I am very particular with the latter where I actually want them to be happy in everything including in the face of challenges with the competitions. Besides swimming they are also training with the schools' soccer team as well. Anyway, I hope that your daughter is enjoying her sports and participation, most of all - happy. Take care.

No interest from my children, and not much interest from my husband in supporting that should they develop an interest. Good luck to your daughter though. My husband was on the swim team and made it as far as the Olympic trials one year.

Hiya doran, Problem here is there are not enough of those kind of Competitions going on. There are no other kinds of activity like Theatre either or Artwork. They did start Swimming Classes then they stopped them. As such there is no team spirit and they have no motivation either. But I tried to do it another way and it has stuck with them. I used to have a Satellite Dish and I would show them good sportsmanship things and bad ones too on the International Sports Channels and this has stayed with them and now they practice their own Sports things or whatever but at least I did something. I had to do all that at School and you did learn how to win and lose. I´m afraid I lost but I thought it was all good fun mainly. Fortunately they both practice Sport in spite of the lack of it the School then so something is better than nothing don´t you think? I don´t think all Schools here are like that but the majority still have the same attitude it´s really sad. Just think how many would be Football Stars and Swimmers they might find amongst them instead of sitting on the Television bewailing and always complaining of the lack.