Today my two youngest participated in a triathlon. They found out about it just a little over a week ago, but were super excited to go and Swim, Bike and Run. Peanut had run her first triathlon last summer, but this was a different course, and longer swimming than she had previously done by about three times. My little pumpkin was eager to do his first triathlon at age 7. Even though it was hot 90 plus degrees today, they were ready.
Pumpkin had just finished two weeks of Swim lessons, he is not the strongest or most coordinated swimmer, and being a country kid he has not quite mastered his two wheel bike. But what is a good mom to do? Let him do the race even though he might not have the skills to compete? Because if I never let him try how will he succeed?
It is important to let kids finish what they start. If he did not finish he would not feel as good about doing the triathlon. If he did not finish he might have learned that if things are not going his way he can quit.
In order for kids to finish sometimes they need to be encouraged despite their shortcoming or failures. It is okay to fail, as long as you get up and try again. Edison after having failed to make the light bulb work after 3,000 attempts did not stop, he just learned new ways of how not to succeed. Sometimes we have to let our children fail in order to succeed.
My son finished what he started to the cheers of everyone there. He did finish last but, boy to he finish strong. There were comments as to how fast he ran the course. (He did fly around it on foot)
Not only did my son finish, he ran water for his big sister and ran her into the finish line. Showing not only a good sport in finishing but a helpful spirit.
12 comments:
What a wonderful post! I love that he ran his sister in :)
Your son is so sweet to help his sister!
Stopping by from the hop to say hello. Already follow!
Have a great rest of the weekend!
nancy
An excellent reminder for all of us to finish what we start. There is a great French documentary called "Etre et Avoir" (To Be and To Have) about a one room schoolhouse with a patient and remarkable teacher. He has students from 4 years of age to 10, and you see him telling the younger ones that they are not allowed to play outside until they finish coloring their picture...I thought why is this important? and then my mother (with a Masters in Ed) said he was teaching them to finish what they started. Brilliant film. Have a lovely day! MademoiselleMichael
I told my son what you said and he reminded me that his sister ran with him too. Gotta love family support.
Mademoiselle Michael, what a lovely sounding film. I might have to look it up. My son had a kindergarten teacher who made him finish a similar task, coloring a picture to go with a story he wrote, he would not color the picture and therefore did not go out to recess. Perhaps this teacher helped to mold him so that he is not a quitter. Two of his teachers were at the triathlon today and the noted that he keeps on till he finishes and never gives up, always with a cheerful heart.
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Thanks!
Renee
really cool post. Obviously you are guiding him and he is zipping right along.
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Nice story, about your son and your daughter!! Lisa, I'm a new e-mail subscriber and follower, via the Super Stalker Sunday blog hop!
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Barb
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great post!!!
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I only wish that my parents had taught me some of those lessons when I was much younger. Thanks for sharing the experience. I'm certain your kids will thank you in years to come.
I gave this post a thumbs up on StumbleUpon so I hope you get a little extra traffic.
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