By Wendy Lynne, mentaltoughnesstrainer.com

Wendy Lynne is the Director of Mental Toughness Academy. The Academy’s online Mental Toughness Training helps kids build confidence, focus, determination, and the ability to bounce back from adversity—what they call Mental Toughness. Go here to get the free eBook, The 10 Commandments to Being a Great Sports Parent, and a free training for youth athletes in training, “Master the Pressure.”


Super Bowl XLVII is coming up this weekend. It’s a big deal here in the U.S. for sports fans, because it demonstrates the height of athletic performance and the pinnacle of achievement in sports.

You can use the Super Bowl to talk about those life skills you hope your niece and nephew gain from their activities, whether it is playing sports or otherwise.

Even if the kids are not the biggest football fans, you can still have some great conversations about dedication, hard work, sportsmanship, perseverance, and fan loyalty.

Hard Work

Here are some conversation starters to talk about the hard work ethics that it takes to be able to play in the Super Bowl.

Ask them things like, “What do you think it takes to get to this level in your sport? How many early mornings do you think they had to get up and run laps, do their situps and pushups, when they would have rather stayed in bed? How do you think they handled doing their homework after practice or missing some fun activities with their friends?”

Throw in your own experiences about hard work and success and what you have learned along the way.

Sportsmanship

Point out any acts of sportsmanship you see happening throughout the game, like if a player goes down and stays down. Ask them if they know why players from both teams take a knee on the field wherever they are. Ask if they noticed that the players on the other team do not cheer or gloat when the other team’s player is injured. Point out how they applaud if the injured man gets up to walk off the field.

Notice and comment if someone offers a hand to an opposing player after getting knocked down, or mention positive things about the team you are not rooting for.

Make it fun

Feel free to point out the crazies in the audience, who are wearing nothing but shorts and body paint in February.

Definitely hang out for commercials, and laugh through them with your niece and nephew. They tend to be very funny.

In the years to come, they will remember the great life lessons you talked about and having a very fun afternoon with you.

Published: January 30, 2013