by Jessica Shayne

Created on: March 22, 2009

Children and Competition.
Competitiveness, whether we are aware of it or not surrounds our everyday lives. It is abundant at home, on the street, in shopping centers, at work, at school and just about every other place where people gather. We compete for parking spaces, jobs, grades, friends, and products. We compete against the weather, against time and against odds. We like hearing that prices are competitive; we enjoy watching others compete even if only for bragging rights. Competition drives us to move faster, think harder and dig deeper. It forces businesses to provide better services, offer lower prices or pay higher wages. It nurtures the imagination and leads us to be more creative than the next person. In short, it keeps us on our toes.

When we think about competitiveness we often think about sports, a timeless activity which is enjoyed by those of any age. From Roman gladiators fighting until death to racing cars at speeds of over 150mph towards a checkered flag, the thrill of competition is without a doubt, in our blood. The glory of the Olympics should be proof enough of how much the world loves to compete.

From a young age our parents have taught us to be competitive. Sometimes subtly, sometimes not so subtly our parents have shown us the joy of winning and the sorrow of losing. Our schools then continued promoting competitiveness through games and activities in the classroom, in the gym and on the playground. Many parents also enroll their children in after-school activities, most being competitive in nature.
Competitive activities are a great way to form new friendships, get exercise, learn a new skill and build self-confidence, but a friendly competition can quickly turn ugly if intruded upon by an overaggressive coach, parent or participant. Parents and coaches alike often impress upon children the importance of winning the game rather than having a winning attitude, which is counterproductive when trying to raise a happy, healthy child that will grow into a mature, productive member of society. If a child is taught to win no matter what the cost, that theme will eventually trickle over into other areas of their life. The benefits of competition then become skewed and misrepresented.
Competitiveness can become a problem if either the participant or an outsider is pushing to the point of injury, be it mental or physical. If a child is forced to compete beyond their own comfort level it can leave the child with feelings of desperation, fear, anxiety,

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>