Main idea: Losing with dignity is part of playing the game.
- Who we are:
- Kasie, daughter Hollie is 12 and she watched an entire room of drunk adults lose their shit over the Clemson game Saturday night.
- Jessica, I’m in Greenville and have two sons Jackson (12) and Caldwell (8)
- Melissa, I’m in the Lowcountry and have 3 kids in Kindergarten, 2nd and 5th grades.
- The purpose and scope of the episode:
- We have been in a win/win and winner-take-all culture for a long time. What do you say to your kids when things don’t work out for them?
- This is about losing contests, games, and other competitive experiences (as opposed to loss of a pet or relative from death — we’ll do a grief episode for that)
- Kasie – I always tell Hollie if you play enough football, eventually you lose. I’m a Washington fan and grew up a Navy fan so losing on the Gridiron is kind of in my history. All these recent Clemson fans (and Hollie’s one of them) seem to just want to win. They don’t want to PLAY. On my wall is the phrase, “never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game,” and I’m an entrepreneur and we love (and embrace!) failure so I probably bounce back quicker than most.
- Jessica – Jackson spent three years playing competitive/tournament baseball, so competition and loss are not new concepts in our house. For Caldwell it is a bit different because he is not into things that require team participation. We have had him still try some things though because it is important for kids to learn how to be part of a team. I often find myself encouraging my kids to try things even when I know they are likely to fail. I give them the tools and resources they need and encourage them, but if and when it doesn’t work out we don’t focus on it being a loss. We discuss the experience as exactly that- an experience. So what is the takeaway? What did you learn? What could you do differently the next time to ensure a more favorable outcome?
- What does the current political climate – a refusal to concede, allegations of fraud, a temper tantrum of firings – say about a culture (a generation?) that doesn’t expect people (not even the president!?) to lose with dignity?
- Jessica- Tantrums are not tolerated in my house. Period. I think, for that reason, my kids don’t appreciate or respect people who conduct themselves in that manner, especially the president.
- Coming up on the next episode:
- We’re taking some time off to work on strategy and branding and the holidays and suchness. We’ll be back with new LIVE episodes on January 13th.
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- Thanks and Happy Holidays!
Parenting Porcupines 