Athletic competition has proven to be effective at equipping children with valuable coping skills that they can carry with them for the rest of their lives. Provided that it is in the best interest of the child and they exhibit a desire to participate, there are several potential benefits.
As a society and, more importantly, as parents, we must be careful not to protect our children from failure. If a child gets praise for merely participating in a sport, they can develop a false sense of accomplishment. For very young children, this behavior is appropriate and provides necessary positive reinforcement. But as children get older, they need to learn that it’s okay to lose or fail as it gives them an opportunity to grow and learn from those experiences.
Another crucial life skill that children can acquire is the ability to work with others to achieve a common goal. As a member of a team, a child learns about camaraderie and cooperation. They also begin to develop a foundation for building relationships.
An increasingly sensitive topic that deserves mentioning when discussing athletics and children is the potential for injury, particularly in high impact sports like football. This is one argument that can be made against athletic competition for children. The good news is that it’s not much of an argument as there are many, relatively safe choices when it comes to sports.
Athletic competition is a great way to teach children important life and social lessons. As long as we allow them to make mistakes, provide them with the necessary support, and make the right choices with regards to the physical implications, they will learn to turn mistakes into successes and be better prepared for adulthood.
