I am not a sporty person, I have no natural athletic ability. Sports Day was always a day of misery, no matter how the school would try to make it inclusive. Why would you want to see someone fail, as I did year in year out. Why drag my parents in to watch my misery?!
The same is not true for academic subjects. If a person is not capable of achieving an A, they can sit a lower tiered paper where they don’t look blankly at the questions but can do their best without feeling like a failure. The evidence is not out in the open for spectators.
As a parent I dread Sports Day too, but for many reasons! So this was me on Thursday:
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She was celebrating her achievement but this made Matthew feel bad. He didn’t come first, second or even third in any of his races last year and was devastated 🙁 so my hopes weren’t high for this year either…
The day itself was over cast and a bit nippy noodles, just like last year. Stuck sat on a cold field is not my idea of fun. Zach wanted to get involved *rolls eyes*
Matthew ran his first race and didn’t place. It didn’t knock his confidence: I’d worked hard to tell him that taking part and trying your best was the only thing that matters!
Then he stood to do his next race. I say stood but I actually mean did a crazy dance. He needed a wee and was getting upset. Never mind that he has been sat down for 20 minutes watching the other years do their races. NOW he needed a wee and it was urgent. I ran over to the teacher and she sent him in. He wasn’t quick enough and missed his race. He saw them reach the finish line as he arrived back on the field. He headed for his seat in floods of tears. The teacher convinced the others in his group to run again once he’d calmed down.
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And HE WON!
I have mixed emotions. Of course I am happy for him, proud of him. Surprised, perhaps even incredulous. I worry about next year, will he have high expectations?
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