Teaching Good Sportsmanship
How to Show Your Child Winning Isn't Everything
By Diane Laney Fitzpatrick
Everybody loves a winner. And no one likes to see a child throw a temper tantrum when he loses
a game.
Being a good sport in a competitive arena doesn’t just happen. Teaching good sportsmanship
starts with some basic lessons and examples from parents.
Seven ways to raise a gracious winner and a humble loser:
1. Don’t always let your child win. It’s tempting, when they’re very young, to let them win at
checkers, Chutes and Ladders, and Go Fish. You don’t want to disappoint them and you want
to boost your child's confidence. But if a child expects a positive outcome for every
competitive situation, he won’t learn how to handle losing. Coming in second place to a parent
will teach him that winning isn’t everything and it’s not the end of the world to lose at a game.
2. Don't focus on who won, when talking with your child about a game, contest or sporting
event. Instead ask him if he had fun and what he liked best about it. You’ll be showing him
that the focus isn’t about winning and you’re not concerned whether he won or lost.
3. Don’t yell at refs, umpires, officials or coaches in any games your child plays. Teach your
children to treat game officials with respect and save their complaints for private
conversations after the game.
4. Focus on effort and personal gratification. Tell your child that the reason they’re playing
the sport or participating in the event is to do their best and get something out of it. They’re
not in it just to win.
5. Remember your purpose. Remind your child and yourself that the #1 reason your child is
playing sports or in an activity is for his enjoyment, not for bragging rights for an adult.
6. Set a good example. In your own competitive situations, don’t gloat and brag about besting
someone, and don’t get sulky or angry about failures. Your children are watching.
7. Teach your children to follow The Golden Rule: Treat other participants as you would want
to be treated. Tell your children to not retaliate for rough play or trash talk, just play as they’ve
been taught and shake their opponent’s hand at the end of the game.
One coach tells his soccer players when they get upset about what their opponents have said or
done during a game, that the best revenge is playing well and ignoring what was done to them.
Most importantly, when they’re winning, kids should never laugh, joke or make fun of other
players. A gracious winner is a good sport.
Read more at Suite101: Teaching Good Sportsmanship: How to Show Your Child Winning Isn't Everything
http://www.suite101.com/content/teaching-good-sportsmanship-a20849#ixzz111sYgDY2