The Olympics teach kids more than just what curling is.....

It is that time again and the world watches as some dedicated individuals try to push their minds, bodies and spirits all for the sake of their country and their own individual glory. The Olympics provides some great "teachable moments" for you and your charges. Some of those moments are when you have to explain what the biathlon is, but there is more to it. Let me share some reasons why I think the Olympics offer us many lessons.

1. See the world, from your couch. As we watch the athletes march in during the opening ceremonies we are introduced to a number of countries that weren't even in existence a few years ago! The winter Olympics only hosts about 80 countries as opposed to the summer games which can have more than 200! But still, get out the globe and challenge your kids to find where that ski jumper is from. Watch the athlete profiles and see the cultures of countries we rarely talk about. And try to figure out why an athlete from the Bahamas might become an Alpine Skier or check out the "snow leopard" from Ghana!
2. Passion. Dedication. What it takes to succeed. The athletes that make the Olympic team have a drive to succeed and a love of their sport that makes them put aside everything else in pursuit of a dream. What a great lesson that can be applied to whatever passions your youngsters might be interested in. Ask your kids what sacrifices these athletes might have to make to find enough training time while going to school or working full time? How would it feel to feel passionately about something like curling, when many people might laugh or ignore the sport? What goals do the athletes set and how do they go about achieving these goals? The athletes are role models for pursuing something you love at any cost.
3. Teamwork and love of country. Many of the sports are team sports and those stories make for great inspiration. Who could forget the story of the miracle on ice of the 1980 Olympics? That team won because they played as a team, they believed in each other. Each Olympic games has their own stories of teammates who want to play for the US so much and work together to make that true. How about the "night train" men's bobsled team this year?
4. Overcoming adversity. There are countless stories of athlete's who get injured or overcome adversity just for the thrill of competing. Downhill ski champion Lindsay Vonn competed with her hand duct taped to her pole so she could compete in a race last year. Speed skater J.R.Celski just came back from a cut on his thigh where he lost so much blood he almost bled out on the track to win the bronze medal last night! These athletes persevere through adversity. What a great lesson.
5. You won't always win, but the thrill of competing is worth it. In each event so many athletes don't even have a chance. There are 20 or 30 athletes in some events and only 3 medals. But every athlete is there with pride to give it their best. They know they will not stand on that podium, but they dare to dream. They compete for the love of what they do. And you never know what might happen. Teaching kids to love the thrill of the pursuit instead of just the win might be the best gift we can give them.
6. Sportsmanship. The athletes cheer for each other. They trade pins and shake hands after each race. They respect each other and hope that each time the race or game begins that all the competitors will bring their best. The world becomes a smaller place, a friendlier place as we watch these young people do their best.