Children Need to Play, Not Compete: A Critical Review

The article 'Children Need to Play, Not Compete' by Jessica Statsky emphasizes that competitiveness in sports has negative impacts on the development of children's mindset and emotions in the United States. The author highlights the lack of motivation, physical injuries, and negative emotional effects caused by competitive sports, especially for children below 10 years old. The article encourages parents to protect their children from these harmful impacts and instead focus on playful games that promote skills and attitudes of sportsmanship spirit.

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Summary & Strong Response Essay

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Table of Contents
Summary and Response.............................................................................................................3

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Summary and Response
Summary
In "Children Need to Play, Not Compete”, Jessica Statsky opposes the competitive
games or sports meant for the children. The author has said that the competitiveness has
negative impacts on the development of the mindset of the children in the United States. She
also provides various dimensions which elucidate the negative impacts of competitiveness in
sports on the wellbeing and normal development of the children. The first dimension entails
the lack of motivation of the children. In many cases it has been seen that when a child loses
the competition she or he becomes depressed and feels dejected. This feeling makes a child to
lose the attraction towards the sports.
In every competitive sport there is certain standard which is set for the children which
is much higher than their age. This standard sometimes hampers the normal physical and
psychological growth of the children especially who are below ten years of age. The author
also highlights the negative impacts of some of the intense physical activities involved in any
competitive sport. It could lead to physical injuries. That is why, it is very important that the
children are protected for their good. The parents have to play the major role where the
children should not be enrolled to any competitive sport which could have negative impact on
physical and mental wellbeing of the children.
Response
The article has highlighted the negative impacts of the competitive sports on the
children. The author of the article is discouraging the competitive sports because of the
harmful sides they have on the normal development of the mindset and emotions of the
children. The children are supposed to play not to compete. The development of body and

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mind is highly related to the ways the children enjoy the play. The author has made the
readers aware of the shortcomings of the organized competitive sports. These are important to
be noted down by the parents so that they could understand protect their children from the
harmful impacts of the competitive sports. It is very important for every child to develop
sportsmanship spirit where they could learn to grow and develop amid the mistakes and loss
to game. The children if get depressed or morally down when they lose any competition they
could lose the sportsmanship spirit. This could also develop the chances of depression. The
right attitudes towards the competitive sports have to be developed. The author has
emphasised that every child needs to develop the spirit of either losing the game or wining it.
The children should be encouraged not to concentrate on the winning or losing aspect of any
competitive sports. There is a role of parents in this context. The children have to be
protected from the physical injuries as well. The psychological wellbeing of the children is
the responsibility of the parents.
Furthermore, the children should be allowed to play more than to participate in
competitive sports. The children could gain the skills and attitudes of sportsmanship spirit
from the playful games before they reach adulthood. They should be more encouraged to play
different types of games which are important for the physical wellbeing and that of the
emotional developments of the children. The gains which the children could have from the
playful games could never be obtained from any kind of organized competitive sports where
the winning and losing matters and might have either positive or highly negative impacts on
the children.
The author has also highlighted the economic perspective of the organized
competitive sports where huge amount of financial resources is involved. It is not affordable
for the parents who are from economically backward section of the society and their children
might feel that they are being discriminated or deprived. It is not possible for all the parents

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of the United States to invest towards their children’s competitive sports beyond their
financial capacity and it is also not encouraged. The childhood is the time of development of
both mental and physical aspects. This is the most crucial time for any individual. The
parents should have ample care and concern for their children development. There are many
sports which are easily affordable and are highly responsive towards the development of
mental and physical wellbeing of the children. The author has focused on the psychological
development and wellbeing and it has been reflected through the write-up. The keenness and
the connection of the author with the predicaments which could be caused by the organized
sports and could impact the children both physically and mentally. In consequences to such
negative implications, the children should be encouraged to play.