The team of 10 kids did a great job, getting 14 medals home. Lizzy got two silver for relays. So much fun watching the little kids doing their very best and the parents cheering them up.
Some kids are so competitive and expects to win and medal all the time. If not, they are disappointed and frustrated, tears and all.
Lizzy cares but not the same level. She was nervous before her events but if she didn’t do as well she and she gets over it quickly.
I can’t make my mind what I prefer.
I want her to do her best, train hard, but also okay to not win. Hard to get it right?!
I’m exhausted though, long hours and sitting under sun and humidity until 7pm even with an hour nap in the afternoon. The rest of the team went to have pizza to celebrate. We chose to order room service and watch cartoon for 40 min as we need to wake up 2:45am to catch a flight. Not a party family. Oh well. Can’t have it all! I still want to have a normal Sunday.
While I was there Sofia was crying after her piano lesson, daddy texted me. We texted back and forth for a while to process her “stress and overwhelm”. I told her this stress is part of the process, and it’s a good opportunity to learn to unpack, prioritize, then focus on the task in hand, just like running a marathon (run the mile you are in). She was receptive and went for a play date/study date with her friend, and came back feeling much butter.
I am anticipating this will happen more often as her responsibilities start to pile up. So she will have to learn to juggle multiballs and know when to drop one or few.
Catch up back home tomorrow.
Our New Journey 
I think there’s a grace to being ok with not getting a medal. You can work very hard, do your very best, be talented and skilled and motivated and everything, and someone else may be faster/stronger/more talented. May be better, if not always, at least on that day. Not everyone can be the best at everything, no matter how hard they work. From what I’ve seen, your kids are very motivated, and they see how hard you work and train. You wouldn’t want them to beat themselves up, or to be ungracious to others, when they don’t win a medal.
Having said all of that, Yay to Lizzy for her two silver medals! I hope she is very proud of herself and enjoys the feeling of accomplishment that her hard work has paid off for her.
Sometimes room service and a movie is better than going out with the team. Quiet time, especially when you have to get up so early…gold.
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Congratulations to Lizzy! I hope she’s happy about that PB you wrote about yesterday too. I like the attitude in non-elite running – to compete against yourself and yourself only, be proud of PBs and achievements no matter if you get medals or not. Not sure how much that can be applied to other sports but I wish there could be more of it!
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Lizzy looks so happy with her medals in that photo! She has a healthy approach to achievements – if you get them, fine, if not, also fine!
I feel a bit sorry for Sofia. It’s tough when the responsibilities become overwhelming. But you are right, it’s the reality of becoming an adult – life becomes more and more demanding and stressful.
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It’s so hard to get it right with kids!!! When they’re stressed and crying, it’s so tempting to swoop in and “fix” everything. But they’re not toddlers anymore- they have to figure some things out for themselves. I think you’re doing a great job of giving them space to be who they are. It’s not easy!
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