What About Competition? Are Your Kids Ready?
Life is full of competition -- even in childhood. Kids compete for good grades, the attention of their parents and teachers, and even to get picked for 'the right team' in gym class. There's nothing wrong with encouraging healthy competition in your children. It can teach kids to perform at their best while encouraging teamwork and fostering a strong work ethic. Competition can teach valuable lessons about discipline, preparation and sportsmanship. Best of all, it can help to prepare them for other challenges they will face in life. But the key word here is "healthy." We've all witnessed unhealthy competition: the over-involved parents who embarrass their children by shouting from the sidelines during every game, or the parents who are disappointed when their child fails to bring home the first place ribbon, the best grade on the test or the lead in the school play. Sometimes, adults don't accept that our kids won't always win. Unfortunately, when that happens, we can do more than damage their self-image... we may just be teaching them an unhealthy, win at-all-costs attitude. And, as adults, we know that such an attitude doesn't seem to serve anyone well. Winning and losing both have valuable lessons to teach. Parents who remember that can give their kids a competitive advantage. Andrea Patten is the co-author of What Kids Need to Succeed: Four Foundations of Adult Achievement which is now available on Amazon.com For more information about 'The Four Foundations' please visit http://www.whatkidsneedtosucceed.com "...because you're not raising a child - you're raising a future adult"
Related News
Parenting under the law - Jamaica Gleaner
Parenting under the lawJamaica Gleaner, Jamaica -Oct 12, 2008Under the law, parents and guardians have particular obligations relating to the safety of children which should not be ignored. ... |
Why Some Kids Are Bullied From the Start - U.S. News & World Report
Why Some Kids Are Bullied From the StartU.S. News & World Report, DC -8 hours agoThe team followed them for more than seven years, receiving information from the children's mothers about victimization, family adversity, parenting styles, ... |
'Lemonade' author to speak at Los Gatos High tonight - San Jose Mercury News
Parenting classes offered - Wicked Local Chatham
Parenting classes offeredWicked Local Chatham, MA -17 hours agoThe six-week parenting series facilitated by Cindy Horgan provides parents skills to help them with some of the challenges that can make parenting difficult ... |
Oldham parenting group to host event about online safety - Louisville Courier-Journal
Parenting kids to health and happiness - TheMedGuru
Obama & Cindy McCain on parenting and Secret Service - Seattle Post Intelligencer
Drop-In parenting support at Wormley Community Centre - Broxbourne Borough Council (press release)
Drop-In parenting support at Wormley Community CentreBroxbourne Borough Council (press release), UK -6 hours agoBroxbourne Council and Broxbourne Housing Association have funded the Hertfordshire Practical Parenting Programme (HPPP) to run informal drop-in parenting... |
Film spotlights alternative parenting - Victor Harbor Times
Film spotlights alternative parentingVictor Harbor Times, Australia -5 hours agoBY DREW EVERS REGION - Local writers Shane Farrell and Jennifer Deaves are shedding new light on alternative parenting in a planned documentary. ... |
MetLife Foundation Begins new Phase of Award-Winning Parenting ... - MarketWatch
|
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Teenagers and Trouble - How Parents Can Keep their Teens Out of Trouble
Teenagers are a work-in-progress, and parenting teenagers can be tricky business. Many kids get into some kind of trouble at some point, and, although this can provide them a powerful learning opportunity, taking a "kids will be kids" attitude is downright irresponsible parenting. Good parenting requires us to remember that, even if they look fully grown, they are not. Teenager issues abound, and parents need to be aware of all we can do to keep our teenagers on the straight and narrow. Here are some tips to help you because what you do can make all the difference.
Your Company Vehicle is a Portable Bill Board; A word of advice on children passengers
Child Safety Restraints and children in work vehicles
Choosing Names For Twins
There are many reasons for treating your twins as individuals rather than a pair. But if you must choose names that go together here are a few suggestions.
Gifted Children - Getting the Balance Right
One of the challenges for parents with a gifted child is to encourage them to develop a range of interest outside the academic sphere that not only rounds them out but stops them from being isolated from their peers
Gifted children are a diverse group of kids who are talented in specific areas such as mathematics, language, sport or music. Some gifted kids are mutli-talented excelling in a variety of areas.
Growing Good People
At age seven months in the womb, humans begin language coordination in response to what they hear through the mother's belly wall. Some 52 muscles learn to respond to the various phonemes (a basic language sound like 'b' in boy and 'm' in man) of the language surrounding that belly. There are also studies showing that the emotional state of the parent imprints as do things like music and other environmental conditions. Nutrition, drug use and pollution spill right through directly to the fetus via the placenta and umbilical cord. Parenting begins way before the bassinet.
Wholism and Materialism
Perhaps I could make a lot of money by founding a Thinker's Anonymous organization. It surely is the rage to eschew thinking.
The Theme from MASH - Suicide is Not Painless
The Theme from MASH
Picky Eaters - Successful Strategies Part 1
What is in a name?
Where Is Your Homework, Lisa?
Is Homework Really That Important?
Time, Stress, and a Baby
The main thing we noticed since having a baby is that time is a more valuable good. We do not have enough time for many things or time is really tight to accomplish certain tasks before the next feeding time has come. Think about feeding. The little one needs to be fed every 3 hours. Take approx. 15 minutes for the preparation, diaper change, cuddling, etc. before the actual feeding. Now take 30 minutes for the actual feeding, burping, holding and interacting with the baby. This really leaves you with approx. 2 hours and 15 minutes (if all goes well, the baby goes to sleep and does not wake up, etc.)
Words of Wisdom for Single Parents
The cost of being a parent and raising a child in todays world is constantly increasing. The risk of your child becoming involved in problem behaviour is also greater. Parents must work together as a team to ensure the brightest future for their children. But what if there is no team. No other person to rely upon. This is what millions of single parents deal with everyday. But it is not only the parent who sees this as a gloomy situation. Children are quite often left thinking that they are the reason for a separation or divorce. It is the child who must attend father and son day at school without a dad. They have to grow up with all the stigma attached to coming from a "broken home". These are just a few of the many potential problems that a single parents household are faced with. This article is aimed at providing single parents with some strategies for raising a good child despite what other people may say.
Stop Lying NOW
Do you have a consistent problem with your child lying to you, even though he or she is normally a "good" child? Sometimes the lies are even about things that don't really matter or your child continues to lie in the face of overwhelming proof to the contrary?
Busy Moms, Dont Forget to Take Time Out for You!
As mothers, we play so many different roles and most of us do not take the time off that we deserve. Just think about it, we play doctor, cook, chauffeur, teacher, lawyer, and the occasional referee as well.
Helping Your Child Cope With A Long-Term Illness
All children will likely have many different health problems during infancy and childhood: the flu, chicken pox, broken bones, stitches, ear infections, to name a few. For most children, these problems are mild ? they come and go without incident and with little disruption in a child's daily life or routine. A chronic long-term medical problem is different and often doesn't come alone, as children with serious medical illnesses are at risk of developing associated emotional problems. Learning to live with a chronic medical condition can be very challenging for a child, for parents, and for siblings and friends, and can lead to feelings of anger, fear and depression.
How Public Schools Coerce Parents Into Giving Mind-Altering Drugs To Their Children
Despite the potentially dangerous side-effects of Ritalin, public school authorities now pressure many parents to give Ritalin to their children so these kids won't "act up" in school.
How To Foster An Environment For Successful Communications With Your Child
As parents, we strive to address all of the questions asked by our children. If we don't have the answer, or don't like the question, we would never think of ignoring the child. We do not accept improper communication as acceptable behavior. Most parents, however, are quick to excuse or overlook the behavior of their child when he / she reacts the same way and are often left wondering when the lines of communication broke.
Hurting from the Outside - In: The Rise of Self-harming
Ask any teacher or adolescent counselor what the most
disturbing trend they are seeing in teens today is, and they
are likely to tell you it's the growing number of "cutters".
Child Discipline - Be Consistent With Your Child
The biggest complaint you hear from parents about their children is "they don't listen to me and I have tried everything"
Public-school Teachers Know Best --- They Send Their Kids To Private Schools
A study done by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute found that nationwide, public-school teachers are almost twice as likely as other parents to send their children to a private school. The study also found that more than one in five public-school teachers send their kids to private schools.
Valuable Parenting Tip
Very often, new parents rely on a parenting tip or two which is passed to them by their own folks, who are now grandparents and usually have plenty of reliable advice to share. If this sort of parenting tip and advice is not available however, new parents could run into all sorts of problems while trying to raise a healthy baby.
|
