As we rapidly approach the final weeks of a very unusual school year, it is clear that we will continue to the end of the year in Phase 4, not Phase 5 as we had hoped. This means that the implications and adjustments to our usual events will stay in place. We will communicate changes to you as soon as we are able to do so.
Our priority will be to celebrate the year and our students’ achievements with you as fully as possible while ensuring all are safe and that we comply with the guidelines and directions from the authorities. As we continue to navigate this changing world, I am reassured by verses in Proverbs encouraging us to trust God for guidance.
Proverbs 3: 5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.
Have you, like me, ever had to talk to your child about losing well?
Children enjoy competing in contests like sporting events and sometimes there is a prize they really want to win. However, not everybody can win at once, and it can be very upsetting to a child when the inevitable time comes that they are not the winner. Although it may seem impossible, there are ways to make them feel better about it.
- Congratulate your child for competing in the first place. Tell them that you are impressed at how well they tried.
- Encourage them to congratulate the winner. Remind them that whoever won is as happy about it as they would have been.
- Reward them in some other way like taking them out for ice cream, or to see a movie. While you do not want to spoil them, rewarding them for competing can be an effective way to show them that you still think they are a winner for having a go.
- If they are still very upset about it or are acting like a sore loser, listen to what they have to say. It’s possible that they had some big plan for what they were going to do with the prize, or maybe they don’t like the person who won, or they feel there has been an injustice. Venting can be helpful for them and a chance for you to communicate. For instance, if your child competes in similar events in the future, help them figure out what they could do to improve.
Things to avoid
- Do not trivialise the situation by saying something like “it’s just a game”. That might help put things in perspective, but it doesn’t help bruised feelings.
- Do not punish your child for being upset or accuse them of being a poor loser. Children just want to do well at everything they do. Let them work through their feelings and get over it.
Do not lose sight of the fact that it’s not bad to lose. Losing teaches many valuable lessons. Everyone cannot be a winner every time and children need to learn this. Helping them through a defeat will help them face the next challenge with confidence they can cope with the outcome.
Adrian Scott
Principal