How to Cope With Competition in School?
"Competition is very good... as long as it's healthy. It's what makes one strive to be better" - Christine Lahti
Competition is an inevitable part of life. We hold competitions in the field of dance, drama, art, singing, and sports to identify who is the “best”.
Winning and losing are all a part of life, but the sad part is that competition can sometimes bring about the worst emotions in children and in adults.
Children in primary schooling especially tend to feel jealous of their friends and competitors, which leads to unhealthy attitudes and emotional responses. In today’s blog, we will look at how you as a parent or caregiver can help students cope with the competition they will face in life.
3 Ways in Which Parents Can Help Children Cope with Competition in Primary Schooling
As parents, you may encourage your child to compete because you know what the real world is like. Competition is good as long as it doesn’t force the child to play beyond their strength and force them into activities they don’t like. Unhealthy competition makes children hate school and activities. So, get rid of that unhealthy attitude and instill these 3 healthy attitudes instead.
- Counsel them about losing gracefully
Losing is a difficult thought to handle. It makes the child feel like a “loser”, and if they cannot handle the disappointment, the sickening feeling that they are not enough, then it is necessary to counsel them that one loss doesn’t mean they should label themselves as “losers”. Use positive words and try and reinforce that in life we win some and we lose some.
- Encourage them to appreciate their friends who win
This may be a big deal for a child in primary schooling, but you can teach your child to encourage his playmates and competitors. They can appreciate their friends who do better than them and get over their feelings of jealousy. Appreciating others when they win is a quality that few adults practice.
- Teach them to do better next time
The greatest competition in life is with oneself. If you believe that, then encourage your child to hone their skills and work harder so that they can win the competition next time. Emphasize that one game isn’t the end of the world. Being consistent is more important than being an erratic winner.
Conclusion
Helping children be competitive in the right way will make them enjoy primary schooling. It will help them see the benefits of doing better and working harder in life. This way they will be able to accept defeat gracefully and win humbly.
