Raising an Olympian

Like many people I know, we've been watching a lot of Olympics in our house lately (or "the sports movie" as Justus calls it).  I've always loved the Olympics, but for some reason this year, I have been more emotional as I watch.  Maybe it's the P&G commercials as an ode to moms.  Well played P&G. Well played.

Anyhow, all this Olympics business has gotten me thinking about the quality of character we are seeing, for the most part, from our Olympians.  And to take it a step further--makes me want to be sure I am raising Olympians.  Now, let me be clear:  every fiber of my being knows that my kids can do anything they want to if they try, but I have no expectation that they become *actual* Olympians (but it would be pretty awesome if they did!). What I mean by raising an Olympian is that I want my children to have the work ethic, drive and character I see in so many of these athletes we are watching.  I'm a huge fan of competitive sports as it is, but I've always said I would never push my kids into it if they weren't interested.  So then, the question becomes how do make sure they learn the valuable lessons of competition?  Better yet--competition at the highest level on the world's biggest stage?

Examples:
Jordyn Weiber--defending world champion in women's gymnastics, finishes 4th overall at qualifying, but she fails to qualify for the individual all-around (accepts 24 ladies, I think) because of a crappy rule that only 2 from each team can compete.  How does she respond?  Tears, of course.  Then she pulls herself together, gives her interview with nothing but positive things to say about her team.  She helps them to win gold, and is there as the loudest cheerleader for her two teammates that did get to compete in the all-around.  Class act on so many levels!

Oscar Pistorius --South African runner.  He has worked and worked, like so many to get to this level and then is accused of having an advantage because instead of legs, he has these "blades."  He undergoes rigorous testing to prove that, in fact, his lack of real human legs is not an advantage because some "able-bodied" schmucks were pissed they were being beat by a guy with a disability.  His point--if it were an advantage, don't you think there would be more of us doing this?  He did the testing, which was very difficult, so he could continue to compete at the level he worked to reach.  He ran in the semifinals of his event!  The winner of the semifinal race had so much respect for Oscar that after the race, he asked to trade race bibs with Oscar.  Gave me chills!

Michael Phelps--of course we could go on and on about his many accomplishments (but NBC has beaten that horse pretty well), and while I was disappointed with how dissatisfied he looked at getting a silver, I admired that, in his press conference, he said there were no excuses for not getting the job done and that he basically just needed to let it go and focus on what races were left.  Mental focus at its best.

There are undoubtedly thousands more stories like these amongst the Olympic athletes, coaches, families and others.  Whether my kids play a day of competitive sports or not, I want them to know:

**Your dad and I will always be your biggest fans!
**You will lose.  Do so graciously.
**You will win.  Do so graciously.
**Hard work is the root of success (but raw talent helps).
**Ambition can be your best friend or your worst enemy.
**Don't assume you can't do something.  Just try it.
**The easy road is usually very short and goes nowhere good.
**You recognize other people's efforts and contributions to your success.  Your fiercest competitor pushes you to be better.  Acknowledge that about him or her.
**Yes, there will be hard days and you will get through them.
**Ask for help.
**Mental focus is essential.  Keep your eye on the goal and don't be distracted by shiny objects.
**Don't worry about everyone else and what they are doing.  Just think about doing your best.
**If you are doing your best, you will never be disappointed in yourself, only in a negative outcome.  That is a lot easier to face in the morning after.

I don't always very rarely have the right words in the right moment, but I hope that in the midst of our kids' many successes and failures, they will always feel our support and pride in them.  When I watch the Olympics now, I look at look at the parents in the stands who sacrificed so much so their children could train at the best facilities in the world, travel to competitions, get new uniforms and gear, etc.  I want my kids to know we would do anything to help them be successful at whatever they want to invest their energy into, but there's so much more to it than what we can do to help.  How do you teach sportsmanship and motivation to children?  Or do you?  Do you just let them learn the hard way?  Or see what they latch onto as an interest?  Of course, all of this teaches them to be better people, not just better athletes or competitors.  I think the question then becomes this--God, will you please help me to identify teachable moments and use them wisely, so that I can raise children in your image, who grow to do amazing things in this world you have entrusted to us?

So, Olympians they will be!!

Once I get this parenting thing figured out...

If you are raising an Olympian or have raised one, I'd love to hear what you did special that contributed to their Olympian status.