Important Things

Today was my school's annual Field Day.  It's kind of a big deal.  For Field Day, teachers have to place kids in many different events, and some teachers are quite competitive in how they place students for the win.  This year, like most years, I let my kids choose for themselves what they wanted to do.

We were so pumped to go out and have fun this morning!  Hats...check.  Sunscreen...check.  Enthusiasm...double check!  It's funny how we are already in the month of May and I am still learning new things about my students.  Today I learned that these kids are the most nonathletic, uncoordinated group I've ever had!

We came in last or almost last for eight events.  Finally, finally, in the ninth event we came in second place.  My boys were hooting and cheering and high-fiving me, shouting "We got second place!!" 

Speaking of cheering, I learned another new thing about my kids today.  I learned that, out of the last 13 years of Field Days, this class is genuinely the nicest, most caring group of children I've ever had. 

You'd think that coming in last and never winning anything would make them pout and complain, but they didn't.  You'd think that watching all the other classes return for yet another tug-o-war pull to determine the "winner of the winners" would make them kick the dust a little, but they didn't.  They spent the whole morning cheering for other classes and exclaiming, "That was FUN!" after every game.  While some other kids ran around throwing water bottles into the air and ignoring their teachers, this class sat in the shaded grass playing hand-clapping and circle games.

Could it be that not being a "winner" fuels great sportsmanship?  Could it be that cheering on a friend who has fallen down five times in one short race inspires empathy? 

Whatever the reason, these 7-year-olds already know more important things about winners and losers than many grown-ups in this world.   I'll take my class of happy non-winners any year.  Nice Kids...for the win!