E is for effort

Leo was not keen on going to the regional sports meeting today (we're not into athletics) but he qualified for the javelin and so his school entered him. He didn't want to go but was embarrassed to tell his teacher that he didn't care for athletics, so I told him that he had to go along, and that he should just have some fun.

Well he didn't win, but he gave it his all and did well. And we got to have a good chat about doing things that we don't want to do. Basically, either speak up and excuse yourself, or if you're in the middle of it then decide to make the most of it and have fun.

Viggo had the same dilemma. Despite being the shortest in his age group he is very good at long jump. He finds it boring though, but didn't speak up. So he participated and won the event. I don't know whether he will do it again, but if he does he will have fun and give it his all.

I think that it's great that all the kids have to do sports at school, whether you're good at it or not. But there is a bit of blackmailing that goes on (you know the stuff like "you'll be letting your school down if you don't go). But then of course the kids pay to go to school, they're not professionals, and they're at the school for their own experience, so there's no need to worry about letting the side down in an individual sport. Either you do it because you want to, or you don't do it.

Last year's event blipped here