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Spring Parent Newsletter
Teaching Sportsmanship
It's helpful to start teaching good sportsmanship when children are young as that's when they are learning how to cooperate with others.
Avoid drama. In a calm voice, remind your child that that's not how we act when we lose. If it's a game you're playing at home, pick up the pieces and tell them that you all can try the game at another time.
Model good sportsmanship. Children learn the most from how their parents behave. You can say something like, "I'm a little upset that I lost, but I can try again next time." The message: It's okay to feel bad, but there are better ways of expressing one's feelings.
Don't focus on winning. Compliment your child on how she played the game and her effort. When you watch sports together, praise opposing players if they deserve it.
Teach game strategies. As your child graduates to games that require strategy, help him learn from his mistakes. An example would be to guide them in the strategy of winning tic-tac-toe where you take the center space as soon as you can.