Moms Talk: Competition and Sportsmanship

With spring sports starting up and our family heading off for a big competition this week, I've been pondering sportsmanship.

How do you help your children handle the ups and downs of competition? Losing a big game or match? Or creaming an opponent? 

Is teaching good sportsmanship a thing of the past?

And what about when your child loses? It's never easy to watch them fail.

My friends and I discussed this recently. Please join the conversation.

My friend Katie had some choice words of wisdom.

"I never agreed with parenting ideas that said there should be no competition. Competition is part of life, and we all need to deal with it. You have to learn how to (both) win and lose, because there really are winners and losers, a.k.a. political races, job possibilities, etc. It's not just about sports," she wrote.

She recommends that parents should try not to bad-mouth the opposing team - concentrate on what went well for their own child and team, even compliment an opposing player's abilities, if appropriate.

"And try to remain friends with opponents. You just never know when they may be playing on your team."

Emphasizing the fun of the game is a tact others recommend.

"Competition has been a part of all of my children's lives as they all have been in competitive sports and music. I think that you have to focus on the positive and learn from the negative. These are life skills that help them their WHOLE lives. Having fun and enjoying what they do is key!" Brenda said.

"Our 6-year-old gets very angry and upset about a loss. We focus on the fact that he had fun," from Tina.

"Play hard and have fun is our mantra," Kathy wrote. Kathy also recommended helping children notice when famous athletes show good sportsmanship.