How old do children need to be to learn how to win and lose? How old are they when they learn right from wrong? My three year-old daughter knows right from wrong. If she didn't why would she hide when she fills her diaper.
I was an assistant coach for my son's Pre-k T-ball with the Joplin Family YMCA team last Spring. I also coached his Basketball team the winter before. The Joplin Family YMCA does not keep score. Truthfully the don't even play by the rules. In basketball the children are allowed to run up and down the floor without dribbleing. The only thing about them playing that is like basketball is that they throw the ball through the basket. T-ball there are no outs. The children run to first base and stop unless they are the last batter. Then their hit is automatically a homerun. This is not basketball or T-ball. Why is it that they can not play by the rules, we can't keep score?
Is it that the YMCA doesn't want any children to feel bad about losing a game? If this is the case, they should not be playing. It is a game. It is meant to be fun. Children will play and have fun wether the win or lose. They are going to get snack at the end of the game anyway. We might as well teach our children about winning and losing early in life. They have to learn sometime that you can't win every game. Ask anyone no one wins every game. Michael Jordan didn't win every basketball game. He definitely didn't win every baseball game.
Is it that children don't understand winning and losing? That is incorrect. I know from listening to the children my son played with. At every game they talked about how their team was going to win. Sure, everyone wants to win. It is not possible for everyone to win. If that was the case there would be no Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Championship, Stanley Cup, World Cup, no gold medals at the Olympics, and probably no Olympics at all.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
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Well man I don't have any kids as of yet but I can safely say I agree with you from way out here in the cheap seats. I have felt for some time the Army did more to shape who I am than my years in sports as a schoolage child. The real challenge I see is being tough on your own children. Most parents I see my age don't want their children to ever know fear, dissapointment, or sadness. Of course this brings the challenge of never conquering your fear for true confidence, never knowing the high of achievement, or the pleasure of winning. That being said these are good people but I fear for their children. I love the parents I know who still spank and discipline, these kids I feel will be tomorrow's leaders for they will be the ones who appreciate a challenge and can savor a victory.
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