tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post7347415218645270575..comments2023-10-26T15:34:56.807+01:00Comments on Pond Parleys: Celebrate!Pond Parleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03127142379706540812noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-79968070972687900652010-03-04T23:07:03.589+00:002010-03-04T23:07:03.589+00:00And don't you just love that word - "winn...And don't you just love that word - "winningest"?Expat mumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17798190669591053390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-66844356917566321282010-03-04T06:47:27.729+00:002010-03-04T06:47:27.729+00:00I like that you have Canada as the most successful...I like that you have Canada as the most successful at the Winter Olympics. Gold is what matters, unless you're the US and the only way you can come out on top is to count "total medals" That seems to be the way we are counting them at this Olympics ;)<br /><br />US: 37; Germany: 30; Canada: 26<br /><br />Well done on the 14 Golds!MikeHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01530099708429116393noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-26172814488939053962010-03-04T05:37:07.604+00:002010-03-04T05:37:07.604+00:00Surely Canada was the most successful country in t...Surely Canada was the most successful country in the Winter Olympics with 14 gold medals, followed by Germany with 10 and Norway and the US with 9. Probably the reason for our lack of chest puffing and self-congratulation is that we are embarrassed. Kinda sad to draw with Norway!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-1693804457714841212010-03-03T17:52:10.083+00:002010-03-03T17:52:10.083+00:00Nappy Valley Girl: Kelly Holmes is now DAME Kelly...Nappy Valley Girl: Kelly Holmes is now DAME Kelly Holmes. That's celebrating success!<br /><br />And Amy Williams had a parade in Bath yesterday. More to come, I think ;)MikeHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01530099708429116393noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-40707227663490183692010-03-03T14:54:07.830+00:002010-03-03T14:54:07.830+00:00Sorry - I left out a key word!!!
Deferred success...Sorry - I left out a key word!!!<br /><br />Deferred success"? Oh dear. <br />I can't decide whether Brits or Americans are pushier academically. My British friends whose children are approaching college seem pretty much to be letting them get on with it, although the expectations are there all the same. Over here, the Queenager has friends whose parents are dictating which subjects they should take, which colleges they should apply to etc. Perhaps it's because college here costs an arm and a leg and they want to make sure the kids aren't wasting time and money?Expat mumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17798190669591053390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-47996937493972324452010-03-03T14:53:01.055+00:002010-03-03T14:53:01.055+00:00This comment has been removed by the author.Expat mumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17798190669591053390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-88996861605528012172010-03-03T12:07:48.691+00:002010-03-03T12:07:48.691+00:00I can't stand all that 'no-one can fail...I can't stand all that 'no-one can fail' stuff. Bit of competitiveness is good for everyone.<br />On the other hand,I can't stand pushy parents whose children have to be the best at everything. I find myself really hoping the child will fail dismally at something!<br /><br />I am typically British and understated, and could never bring myself to whoop and holler or whatever. But I do think we could learn a little more positivity from Americans in this. Just not too much!Mrs Baumnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-34059883718242864222010-03-03T08:01:27.896+00:002010-03-03T08:01:27.896+00:00The taking part is so important and it is also imp...The taking part is so important and it is also important to learn to lose. So much better for children to learn that skill when they are young and the loosing is about a three legged race or a rounders match than later on in the grown up world. One American parent friend of mine told me that at her children's school a child can't 'fail', it has to be called 'deferred success'. Hmmmmm.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-31674418551632161602010-03-03T06:07:18.515+00:002010-03-03T06:07:18.515+00:00True, anonymous. When British players appear at Wi...True, anonymous. When British players appear at Wimbledon (for example)or other sporting events, the crowd will get behind them for obvious reasons. When the players are both foreigners the crowd will nearly always back the underdog, even if his/her opponent is v famous.I know I do myself. American crowds seem to do the opposite<br />- see how Tiger Woods was always almost hysterically applauded even though he didnt need either the money or another trophy. <br />When I was a child my parents used to say 'Try your best but always remember its just a game' and 'its not the winning but the taking part'. I agree, and still say the same to my own children.tigerfeetnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-68014645401171316312010-03-02T12:48:46.654+00:002010-03-02T12:48:46.654+00:00It's hard to talk about attitudes to winning i...It's hard to talk about attitudes to winning in the context of children as the whole British attitude to kids becomes bound up in it. British parents mostly won't boast openly about their children's ablilities but will be far more modest (though a boast will usually be hidden in the modest statement), such as "I don't know how she won that race, she never trains and needs to do more". Modest, but also a boast that the kids is a great runner without training.<br /><br />My British daughter keeps being offered help by her US classmates, not because she needs it she's doing great (see a modest boast by me). But when they ask her "how's your project/homework/exam going?" she replies "it's fine/okay" This promts them to offer help as she sounds like she is struggling, but she is just being typically British, modest and understated. When she asks them the same question they say 'I'm doing GREAT, I'm gonna be top of the class".<br /><br />"Well you did your best", "as long as the tried your best" are typical British statements to an unsuccessful event, expect little and you won't be disappointed. There are pushy parents everywhere, I'd say in the UK they are generally frowned upon.<br /><br />In the world of adult and competitive sport the British do love the underdog. A British audience with no prior interest in the competitors will usually cheer for the underdog I guess to try and level the playing field a little.<br /><br />However British do love a winner, particually if it is a win against an arch rival or beating someone at their own game, rarely do the Britsih actually expect it to happen though and so are more overjoyed when it does. If they lose, well hey, something to have an enjoyable moan about.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-90204281183958237872010-03-02T10:36:36.239+00:002010-03-02T10:36:36.239+00:00Expat mum--good point, about the real word, that i...Expat mum--good point, about the real word, that is. Unless everyone's a winner in the American workplace now (which I suspect isnt the case). I think there's a big difference between working towards 'personal best' and 'everyones a winner' but the distinction seems difficult to define for many people--and schools included with the newish attitude of some UK schools' sports days where competitiveness is frowned upon. <br /><br />I have a German friend who's dad always told him '2nd place is first loser.' Oh dear.Michellouihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16841678308675092702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-15697690687626330452010-03-01T19:31:15.342+00:002010-03-01T19:31:15.342+00:00I have always found British parents to be slightly...I have always found British parents to be slightly less sympathetic with below-average performance. Round these parts in the US, every child's a winner! Sometimes it makes me wonder how they're going to survive in the real world.Expat mumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17798190669591053390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-77570565996438738172010-03-01T18:48:50.420+00:002010-03-01T18:48:50.420+00:00I was at a school sponsored Triathlon (for 6-15 ye...I was at a school sponsored Triathlon (for 6-15 year olds) and a parent of one of my daughter's friends (10 year olds at the time) was so disappointed with his daughter's performance I thought she was going to get grounded. He could hardy hold a civil conversation with me--partly I suspect because my daughter outperformed his (my daughter is no sport superstar).<br /><br />It surprised me and made me sad. I thought I was living in a country that said 'chin chin' about not doing as well as they might have!Michellouihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16841678308675092702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-58221752913058747022010-02-28T23:20:22.119+00:002010-02-28T23:20:22.119+00:00I think Kelly Holmes received a few parades when s...I think Kelly Holmes received a few parades when she won Olympic medals a few years ago, and if a Brit ever won Wimbledon I am sure there would be partying in the street.<br /><br />I do think American parents are more overt in their encouragement of their kids at ball games etc - and quite hard on them too - but British parents can be very competitive, not always in a nice way either....nappy valley girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10788949037047084412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-67384435571719485792010-02-28T21:36:54.581+00:002010-02-28T21:36:54.581+00:00So now I know what t-ball is!
I think parades ar...So now I know what t-ball is! <br /><br />I think parades are rather a good way of celebrating. Am I right in thinking the idea catching on a little in England? Rugby and cricket teams have driven round London in open top buses - not quite the same thing, I know, but the same sort of idea.Iota https://www.blogger.com/profile/08507184283437057648noreply@blogger.com