5 great life lessons grandkids can learn from sport
Young children are always learning. Whether watching television, reading books, playing with other kids, or simply watching adults interact with one another, there’s always some level of osmosis occurring. One of the most distinct non-classroom schools for developing minds is sport – the lessons learned while playing sports can influence the way a person views the world, and how they handle themselves right into adulthood. It doesn’t matter if it’s a team sport like netball or cricket, or an individual activity like gymnastics, dance, or swimming – there’s always something important to learn.
1. Practice makes better
The phrase “practice makes perfect” is a dreadful lie. Ask any gymnast, and they’ll tell you that there’s always room for improvement. Even gold medal-winning Olympians like Simone Biles will attest to the need to continue improving. Playing a sport, and seeing the improvements and advances in levels that come from continued practice will reinforce the lesson that if you stick with something you’ll get better at it.
2. It’s important to prioritise
When they reach adulthood, your grandchildren will need to make their own decisions about a work and social life balance. While they’re young, however, a great way to help them train for that balancing act is giving them the room to make their own choices about how to approach time spent with friends versus extracurricular activities (sport and music are the two biggies). School is a given, but it’s a good idea to take time to discuss priorities and goals with young children so that they are involved in the decision-making process.
3. Teamwork makes the dream work
There’s a kind of magic involved in team sports – a group of talented individuals coming together to achieve a singular goal. Playing in a team can help kids learn that value of individual contribution to a bigger end-game, as well as the truth in the oft-uttered adage: “there’s no ‘I’ in team”.
4. You can’t always get what you want
In sports where one is competing against one’s own mind as much as against fellow athletes (think track and field, gymnastics, ice skating), there’s a lesson to be learned that many people often don’t learn until well into adulthood: everything doesn’t always work out how you planned. No matter how much you prepare, and how much you want something, there’s a chance that competition day might not be your day. It’s important to recognise that, and for kids to be able to process disappointment and put it aside so they can focus on other things.
5. Be happy for others
On days when it’s not your day, it’s definitely someone else’s. Lead your grandkids by example and teach them to be happy for the success of others. Whether it’s a rival from another club, a close friend, or even another team, we should always find a way to celebrate the success and happiness of people who get out there and play the game – even if the outcome wasn’t what we hoped for.
Do your grandkids play sports? Have you noticed a change in them since they began?
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