Dear Parents & Guardians

One of the joys of being Principal is doing morning duty where I get to wander around the front of the school and talk to the children and parents as they arrive at school. Mondays are usually the most special as it is the day the students have the most news; sharing the fun things they have done over the weekend and letting me know about their wins or losses on the sporting field.

One thing that I hear regularly from children (including my own!) is their attitude to not winning. Losing a game, not getting something they really wanted or the notion that something was not fair. The following extracts are from Positive Schools writer Michael Grose and it is a good reminder for us as parents to remind our children that winning isn’t everything. A timely reminder with our Athletics carnival tomorrow!

Winning is great! We love it when our kids win a game or a race. It’s great to see their faces light up when they win. Winning is a good feeling. Winning means they’re doing well. It’s equated with success. It’s a good habit to develop.…… or so the theory goes.

I beg to differ. Winning is just one story.

Not winning carries emotion, but it’s not necessarily positive. Kids usually experience disappointment, annoyance and frustration – all unpleasant emotions. But it’s good for children and young people to experience unpleasant feelings from time to time.

It’s good to learn that bad feelings happen, but they don’t last. That things don’t always go your way. This is a huge life lesson. Not winning also teaches kids to link success with effort. It teaches them that perseverance pays off eventually.

Helping kids accept setbacks and unpleasant emotions rather than block them out is the key to building their resilience.