it's all fun and games until someone has the audacity to have a breakdown

[aboutbefore]

Hi, I'm Jess! *waves* I'll be guest posting this week because one of my in-laws went and offended me (shocking, I know) so I was inspired with a couple thoughts and questions on kids and sports and when are they old enough to start being mean to them.

Comments

[rosie_spleen]

Well, I don't think head shaking is needed. It seems to be all about attitude and sport, really. You can definitely not want your child to be precocious/soft/whiny/a bad sport on the field, but there are different ways of getting them to learn this facet of life.

Team sport is a fantastic teacher. I'm not just saying this due to my background, but this year, my eldest child started organized sport for the first time. She is a ABSOLUTE perfectionist (in that, if she gets anything wrong or less than perfect, it's a catastrophe). The sport and training she's been attending has been challenging, fun and involving. We've noticed such a huge change to her emotional level when things aren't quite 'perfect' at home - she's not as dramatic, she is more accepting, etc.

Your SIL methods are pretty old school. I see what she wants her team to learn, but yeah, there are less extreme methods. Opinion-wise, I believe that sport should always be fun (it can be disciplined, but still be exhilarating) and once it stops becoming so, it should be stopped.

We grapple with the 'ugly parent syndromme' down here, where some parents are suspended for abusing coaches, refs, umpires, ruining the enjoyment for kids and families.

BTW, my own mother dragged me off the tennis court and out of a competition once because I was showing bad sportswomanship, LOL. I was only about 11 at the time. She stopped the game and demanded I 'come home at once'. Never threw my racquet in temper again. *g*

Interesting post, jess.

[badboy_fangirl]

I like what you say about your oldest offspring, Rosie, because I've watched my sister's kids through the years. I think disappointment, and learning to deal with it, is a huge part of the sports league stuff. Life is full of disappointments, we can't throw tantrums every time it doesn't go our way. I've seen this work with my sister's kids (through reinforcement at home, of course), and some of them have stuck with sports as they've grown older, while others have dropped out due to their ability and how much effort they wanted to put forth.

I think your mother was ace for teaching you about sportsmanship. :D It's an important lesson to learn, John McEnroe.

(edited because "through" and "throw" are not the same words)

[rosie_spleen]

I think your mother was ace for teaching you about sportsmanship. :D It's an important lesson to learn, John McEnroe.

YOU'VE GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!

LOL. And you are ace to use ace in relation to tennis and to describe my mean mummy. Seriously, though, I did deserve it.