5 Important Lessons for My Kids from the Olympics

The 2020 Summer Olympics are finally here–even though it’s 2021! And I’m sharing a few important lessons for my kids from the Olympics.

I grew up in a family that was a bit fanatical about the Olympics. We watched every opening ceremony and many of the events. We loved cheering on all of our American athletes and learning as much as possible about our favorites.

One year, I even organized our own family Olympics concurrent with that year’s Summer Games.

As a kid, I assumed that everyone got this excited about the Olympics. As an adult, I realize that “Olympic fever” may not be universal. But I would like to continue my family’s tradition with my own kids.

I believe that everything in life is a teaching opportunity, and the Olympic Games are no exception. There are many important lessons our kids can learn from watching the Olympics with us.

5 Important Lessons for My Kids from the Olympics

Teamwork

From team sports–like soccer, basketball, rowing, field hockey, and synchronized swimming–to individual sports–like gymnastics, track and field, diving, boxing, and fencing, where participants are ultimately competing as part of a team–the Olympics can teach our kids about the power of teamwork. We see the essence of community on display each time we watch teammates fight for the same goal and hug, cry, and cheer one another on in competition.

Sportsmanship

Watching competitors win or lose each contest provides a great opportunity to talk to our kids about sportsmanship. We can talk about how we behave and present ourselves in the context of competition. We can discuss the results of hard work and dedication. And we can discuss the necessity of perseverance and the importance of learning from our failures.

Hard days are the best because that’s when champions are made.

U.S. Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas

Geography

Watching the Opening Ceremony is a great opportunity to talk to our kids about other countries and cultures. And every medal ceremony is a chance for our kids to find the winners’ countries of origin on a map.

Patriotism

Of course, we’re rooting for the Americans to win every event. We’re excited about the return of the Refugee team, as well, though!

Each red, white and blue uniform, each U.S. flag, and each playing of the National Anthem is an opportunity to talk about our country. It’s a chance to instill in our kids the sense of sacrifice and community that makes us Americans. And it’s a chance to talk about how far we’ve come as a nation and how far we still have to go.

Whether we had finished on top or not, the thing that I’m proud of is sticking together.

U.S. Olympic beach volleyball player Misty May-Treanor

Equality

In the powerhouse U.S. Olympic Women’s Gymnastics Team, we have some incredible young athletes–African Americans (including Texan Simone Biles, who took home four gold medals in 2016), Asian Americans, and European Americans–proudly representing our country together on the world’s stage. What a beautiful picture of unity and ethnic diversity at work for our children to witness and emulate.

A version of this post was originally published August 5, 2016.