To Win or Not To Win...

I would certainly love to win every game I play. It's not going to happen, though.

In an opinion article from a Georgia newspaper, Terri Hintz attempts to answer a friend's semi-serious question, "should I always let my kid win at board games to avoid the tantrum?"

[aside] You may be thinking, I don't have kids; of what use is this article to me? Well, you can store it in the vault for later, or, like me, you can reflect on what your own childhood was like. What fun! Now back to the question at hand:

The short answer is "no." The long answer sheds some light on the ideas of competitiveness and grace, in addition to the opportunity these qualities might afford a person later in life. If a child's parents let him win all of the time, will he or she be spoiled or have an overly competitive attitude? Hintz says:

Instinct tells me that competitive drive is largely innate in one's nature. Gracious composure as one wins or loses however, I contend to be a result of nurture.

Thus, board games provide opportunity for valuable life lessons, even at an early age. I love when that happens! Is "avoiding the tantrum" important enough to throw a game? Probably. To throw every game? Maybe, but the scales probably tilt in favor of winning some of the time, doing it with grace, and teaching the tot to tame the tantrum. Read it, and decide for yourself!