Annie Fox's Blog...

Thoughts about teens, tweens, parenting and this adventure of living on Earth in the 21st century.

Annie Fox, M.Ed., is an internationally respected parenting expert, award-winning author, and a trusted online adviser for tweens and teens.

The Summer Olympics – A family learning experience

July 27, 2012

Let the Games begin... Peace!

Eight years ago (how’s that possible?!) I was hired to create lesson plans for a middle school advisory program. For those unfamiliar with “advisory,” typically it’s a weekly class  in which small groups of 6th-8th graders come together with a teacher for conversations about social-emotional challenges. Topics might include: body image, peer pressure, conflict resolution, etc. Since that year’s school calendar coincided with the start the ’04 Summer Olympics I created a couple of Olympic themed lesson plans. I was reminded of them this morning and thought you might like to use some of these ideas this evening as you and your family enjoy the opening ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The Olympics Part 1
Educational objective – Understand a bit about the Olympic games as a historic tradition and appreciate them as a model for goal setting, team work, international goodwill.

Some background to share with your kids: Greece was the home of the first Olympics more than 2500 years ago. In the ancient Games, only free men who spoke Greek could compete. Today’s modern Olympics are open to male & female athletes from all over the world. Ask your kids: How is that an improvement over the ancient form?

Watch the Opening Ceremonies on TV and see how many different countries are represented in the Parade of Nations. Find as many as you can on a map.

In ancient times winning athletes received a crown made from olive leaves and they were treated like sports celebrities. ASK: What can Olympic athletes win today?

Ancient Olympic events only included foot races, boxing, wrestling, discus throwing. This year’s Summer Olympics will include 26 sports with 36 disciplines and about 300 events (including archery, weightlifting, Tai Kwondo, volleyball and or course, all kinds of track and swimming events) Women’s Boxing has been added for the first time. ASK: What’s your favorite Olympic event? Talk about why each person in the family likes the sport you do.
EMPHASIZE: All Olympic athletes have short & long term goals. In the same way that each of us has goals, during the summer and throughout the school year. Athletes also have a Game Plan that includes: Daily practice. Work with coach. A support network.

Part 2

Educational objective – Increase awareness of the personal achievements of individual athletes who’ve made it to the Olympics through perseverance and the support they get from coaches, family, teammates.

To make it to the Olympics, you need 2 things. Perseverance is one. ASK: What does perseverance mean?  (Steady and continuous work toward a goal, despite difficulties or setbacks.)

ASK: What does this quotation mean to you? “Constant dripping hollows out a stone.” (Lucretius)  (Keep at it and you will make progress.)

EMPHASIZE: All the Olympic athletes worked very hard for years. It takes perseverance to achieve a goal. So even if they don’t win a medal, they have achieved an impressive goal of getting to the Games.

The other thing the athletes need is support. ASK: What does support mean?  (To give active help and encouragement.)

EMPHASIZE: Perseverance can only come from you. It’s your effort that will help you achieve your goals at school and in life. Support is the help you get from others. ASK:  Who are your supporters, at home? At school?

I hope this helps you bring something extra to your family’s enjoyment of the Olympics. Let the Games begin!

 

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We’re so proud of you… now

February 20, 2010

Way to go, son!

Way to go, son! (Photo by Daniel Tacci)

Crazy-fearless young snow boarders defy gravity  in the half-pipe. Who knows how the hell they do it, but man, it look like a total blast. Parents in the crowd, happily freezin’ for a reason, beam up unconditional love and support to their McTwisting young ‘uns. The commentator crows “Are  those proud parents or what?”

Well, yeah… your kid’s competing in the Olympics! What’s not to be proud? And by the way, looks like  he’s bringing home Vancouver gold so dust off the mantle. Talk about bragging rights, reflected glory, and a chunk of change from commercial endorsements. Not too shabby for a kid you worried wouldn’t amount to anything cause all he ever wanted was to do tricks.

It got me thinking that maybe the Flying Tomato and the other joyful but oh so focused kids on the boards weren’t always a source of parental pride. Just guessing there might have been a few heated conversations ’round the kitchen table about why the boy couldn’t think of a more ‘productive’ way to spend an afternoon.

What if the parents of  Shaun White and Louie Vito had come down heavy and managed to squelch their kids’ early passion? What if they took parental responsibility to mean “re-direct kid toward practical pursuits”? If every parent went that route I’m guessing there wouldn’t be Olympic snowboarding to thrill and inspire us landlubbers.

I’m wondering how often we parents, with all good and loving intentions, snuff out the flame of a kid’s interests because we don’t see where it could possibly lead? Just don’t see what they see.

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Let The Games begin

February 11, 2010

lg-vancouver2010_16d-ajI’ve never been much of sports fan. Except back when the 49ers were a team for which I proudly screamed my head off. That aside, I’ve always loved the Olympics. Ordinarily watching TV doesn’t make my list of Family Bonding Activities, but the Olympics, AKA The Games, are a totally worthwhile exception. First off, they’re educational. (Where else can you learn the rules of curling?) More importantly, they offer all the drama you could  hope for. I mean really, does anything beat watching an elite skiier wipe out on the giant slolam?

Starting tomorrow and continuing through Feb. 28 you and your loved ones can gather round the tube and enjoy something unscripted and incredibly special together. And check this for an added bonus,  if 21st century parenting has you frazzled, there may be no better personification of the word “focus” than Olympic athletes in action.

Those folks spend years preparing for their moment at the Games. Either they shine when it counts or they pack it in and hope for another shot in 2016. It’s been said, “Great athletes aren’t great all the time, they’re just great when they need to be.” Same goes for parents. You can be a great parent when you need to be simply by recognizing that now is the moment to put all distractions aside and focus on your child’s needs.

Distractions are… well, distracting. And  we’re all guilty at times of  getting too wrapped up to notice our kid standing right there needing us. Don’t get me wrong when I say focusing is simple. It is simple. In theory. But no way is it easy. If it were, we’d all be great all the time.

Filed under: Parenting — Tags: , , , — Annie @ 9:52 pm
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