We’ve all seen it–what started as a little friendly competition between elementary aged boys turns into a full scale war and ends with tears–lots of them. This is an age where it’s hard to teach the fact that “we’re just having fun”, that life is not always about winning; one must enjoy the ride. This article came about because a dad wrote in to Breezy Mama--he was organizing a “friendly” kick ball tournament, and instead of enjoying the game, his 8-year-old son was out to WIN, and when things didn’t go that way, he lost it. How, the dad wondered, do we handle this? How do we teach our boys that’s about effort and good attitude? Breezy Mama turned to Dr. Ronald Levant, a professor of psychology at The University of Akron and the nation’s top expert on the psychology of men, for some answers.
How do I let my son know that I’m (dad) not disappointed when he’s not getting first place?
Convey to your son that sports are not just about winning and losing, but about how you played the game. I think the best way to do this is [Read more…] about Dads, Sons and Competition