Summery Children Need to Play, Not Compete by Jessika Statsky - Essay Example

With that information Statsky aims at educating parents on the harm that the adult standards imposed on children games such as the selecting procedures and the high urge to win have especially on children aged between six and twelve years. Statsky explains that the discussed harmful effects on children emanate from both contact and noncontact sports. Statsky proposes that organized games should allow children to have fun while playing regardless of the results (Statsky 270-274). Therefore, this paper will evaluate the argument brought forth by Statsky to determine whether it is logical, appropriate and consistent.

From my point of view, Statsky is partly right although stringent measures should be implemented to ensure that psychological, physical and emotional harmful effects brought forth by competitive games are completely curbed. Competition is part of life that every individual must consistently go through whether at school, in the chosen career path and the society at large. In actual sense, competition is more intense in the life of adults. Therefore, it is important to be subjected to competition at early stages of life so as to understand issues like quitters never win.

This will help children to learn and live by competition principles thereby molding a strong and positive character. Conversely, organized games help children to acquire sportsmanship skills and character thereby fully setting their talents into practice. Moreover, they gain the required high self esteem, confidence and general positive perception about themselves. These are virtues that cannot be taught or instilled in them and they are highly important in their development. They enable children to learn strategies of attaining success and dealing with failure.

For instance, when in preschool I used to be an active player of various types of games both contact and noncontact. The enthusiasm of the sports was derived from the fact that we were competing between each other. One even had the eagerness and desire to indulge in the new sports events. The notion was to be viewed as a hero before the eyes of colleagues thereby enabling us to have high self esteem and confidence. On the other hand, the competing factor gave the desire to have the required hype, fun, eagerness and pressure of having to perfect and excite at the same time.

On the other side, the notion of competition brings in the necessity of training hard so as to win and achieve the prize that is always accompanied with a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction. In addition, the spirit of competition used to bring team unity, closeness and team working. In fact, a better relationship between the team members was established. Therefore, from the above facts I oppose Statsky theory that children should not be subjected to competition. Instead, they should be allowed to play without the notion of winning or losing.

This is because the competition aspect gives children a practical view of social life that adults go through; a life where they have no option than to struggle and win or put less effort and fail. However, parents and teachers should give them the option of whether to participate in a competition or not. Moreover, they should not be subjected to intense competition that will strike rivalry between them but instead the competition should be ecstatic. This will also enable the children to learn