Feeling pretty good about how my kids handled losing a sports game

Dec 211 min read

Both kids played in a tournament last weekend. Lost their matches. Expected meltdowns, tears, the whole thing. Instead my 8yo said "I played pretty good though right dad?" and my 6yo asked if we could work on one specific skill to get better.

I didn't raise them to be competitive demons. But I also didn't lecture them about "it's not about winning." Somehow they just... got it. My ex (their mom) said she was impressed too which felt really good ngl

10 comments272 views

Comments(10)

TTim B.RegularDec 21

Your kids sound genuinely awesome. Did you do anything specific to prep them for losing, or was it just luck of the draw with their temperament?

JJason K.New DadDec 21

How'd you raise them like this?? Genuinely asking because my kids lose ONE game and it's the end of the world

MMatt S.RegularDec 23

this hit hard. my 8yr old did the same thing after losing his soccer game and I literally teared up. the fact that they're already learning not to make it about their self-worth is huge

CClint R.RegularDec 23

The 'I played pretty good though right dad?' hits different. He's already learned to separate his worth from the outcome. That's years of therapy saved right there

MMiles B.New DadDec 23

honestly this might be the most impressive parenting flex I've seen. not the bragging kind either, the real kind where your kids just... process emotions like humans

AAl G.RegularDec 23

lol same, I was bracing for impact and got nothing. My 7yo just wanted to know when the next tournament was. Made me realize I was projecting my own stuff onto them.

MMarvin T.RegularDec 24

This is huge. The fact that your 8yo self-assessed positively instead of dwelling on the loss is exactly what you want to see. That's the mindset that actually matters for long-term resilience.

CCarl S.RegularDec 23

The confidence on that 8yo though. "I played pretty good" is the right takeaway. Some adults still can't separate effort from outcome.

WWill R.RegularDec 24

Wait did your 6yo actually finish that sentence? Now I'm dying to know what they asked lol

LLarry P.RegularDec 24

Wait did your 6yo finish asking about practice or something? The post cuts off and now I'm invested lol