Our "season" for competitive dance came to an end on Saturday in the Poconos. To say that this year was amazing would be the biggest understatement of all time. Our kids danced their hearts out and looked amazing. There was some fantastic competition this year at Nationals and our kids stepped their game up and proved they belonged on the stage with these other amazing dancers.
As I reflect back on the year, as I do after each season, I find myself beaming with pride. My youngest daughter showed some serious growth and went above and beyond on stage. It's a great feeling to be able to watch you child do what they love to do and I am thankful that I get this opportunity. She did her best each and every time out and that's all we can ask from her.
For anyone who has children that compete in anything, it's important to remember why they got involved in their activity to begin with. Yes, we all want to win but try to remember that there is WAY more to this than winning. They are making memories and friendships that will last them a lifetime. They want to have a great time and do what they love to do. Whether it's dance, basketball, softball, baseball or whatever they do. They do it because it's FUN and they enjoy doing it. Do your best to remove yourself from any of it and allow them to enjoy it. I don't care how competitive you are, their activity isn't about YOU. Remember that there are kids that might be better than your child in said activity. That's okay too. It's okay to "lose" every now and then. Losing, believe it not, helps the kids grow as people. Learning how to deal with defeat it a pretty important life lesson. You're not going to always "win" all the time. The sooner they learn to deal with that the better off they'll be.
Also, it's important to remember that the kids are a part of a team. They are not out there alone. There could be 22 kids on the team or there could be 90 kids on the team. They are ALL a part of that unit. Unless your child is playing golf or tennis, there's a pretty good chance that they can't win or lose the "game" by themselves. Each child that wears the same "uniform" as your child is just as important as your child to that team. They are there for the same reasons as your child. They want to enjoy themselves and feel like they are a part of something just like your kid. Include the "other" children. It's that simple.