Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Being Losers

When I was a kid (and especially during high school and even a bit during college!) I had a few friends who were obsessed with doing everything well.
Being the best.
They got A+s in all their classes, and if a teacher so much as thought about giving them a B, they would go in to school and cry and then their parents would go in to school and yell at the teacher.
I saw parents yelling at their kids on the sidelines of soccer games and I saw lots of kids get so frustrated by missing a shot, losing by a point, or even winning a game (!!!) but not by the margins that they hoped that they resorted to crying, swearing or even violence.
These were the kids who got 32s on the ACTs and still went in to retake them.
And retake them again.
These were the kids who came to college with enough credits to skip their freshman year.
These were the kids who were total nervous wrecks the first time they took a college test (and I could never help but think -when I saw them crying over an 84% - "Serves you right, you big baby. Get used to to the big bad world.")

And I can't help but wonder, why can't we let our kids be losers?
Why is our culture so obsessed with winning, being the best, and having zero flaws?
We give out prizes for mediocrity, but we also give out prizes for losing - so we all feel like winners after all.

We even have kids' sporting events where they don't keep score, you know, so nobody loses.
But the thing is, we're all going to lose someday.
And I think it's a lesson that is best learned in childhood.

Check out this freaking adorable video. This is a culture where soccer is much bigger deal than here.
And yet these kids are working hard, having fun, learning, being good sports and good team members - despite being losers.

And notice the parents on the sidelines? They aren't switching their kids to different teams (winning teams) and they aren't yelling, lecturing, or flipping out at the coaches.


l'equip petit from el cangrejo on Vimeo.

Maybe it's just me, but I hope my kids are losers like these kids.
Because these kids are awesome.


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7 comments:

Polly said...

Very cute video. It's nice to have a positive attitude even when your losing. That's the way mom's think most of the time. Now your dad would say "if your going to play, play to win or there is not point in playing"
But obviously you and I are not that competitive. Sometimes though I surprise myself by how competitive I actually am. Thanks for sharing.

Liz said...

Hey Becky, I love that video. Those kids are so cute. I completely agree with you--when I have kids that's how I'll want to raise them.

Samantha said...

I love everything about this video. I think it's so wholesome for the kids to have the attitude that they do...to have fun. Isn't that the point, anyway? :)

Brittany said...

This is the best post ever. Seriously, what's wrong with our society? There's a good chance I'm sharing this on facebook. MMMMMM...K. :)

Elizabeth said...

I love that you posted this! Its awesome! Its a great lesson!

Lilys said...

Becky this video made me cry at the end when he said we will score goals when we are old...so cute and such a great lesson for the rest of us:-) Thanks

Bethany said...

Great post! What darling kids and what a great lesson for all of us to remember. I love that they're just having fun and being kids.

My 6 year old niece was on a team like that (well, they scored goals, but they never won). She didn't mind. She had fun playing.

At the end of the season everyone on her team received a trophy. She said (in her cute little 6 year old voice) "this is ridiculous, we didn't even win a game!"

Even she gets it. Too bad most people don't.