From Milo doesn’t lose, as long as he’s having fun:

On the bus along the way home, Milo (still) excitedly remarked, “Daddy, it was fun boxing at the gym!” My honest response was, “Yes, but the children there know how to box.”

Milo’s joyful expression changed into puzzlement, and the smile of satisfaction left his face. With a hint of disappointment at the “mild” disappointment I myself felt (which he apparently discerned), he answered “But, I also know how to box.”

Then I (stupid me) rubbed it on some more and our conversation continued:

“Well, you fell down a couple of times.”

“But, my playmate fell down, too—twice,” he replied then, in a serious tone and facial expression. I wanted to reason out some more, and tell him that those were slips while his were legit knockdowns, but wisely refrained. [...]

Next time, I’ll remember that little children just want to play and have fun with one another, unlike us grownups who are too conscious of competitiveness and putting one over the other—in sports and other matters in life.


I really felt guilty about it...

Yup. If you're having fun, you'll never lose. When it stops being fun, you've already lost, even if you win.

I wouldn't feel too terrible. Boxing is a lil' different because it's a full contact fighting sport. So of course you want your child to be able to "handle himself" in a "fight."

I am not talented enough to be a pro sponsored skateboarder. I fall down all the time. But I'm always having fun when I'm skating. 'Tis the primary reason I have been doing it for 25 years.

Kids are so cool. To see the world through their eyes, with our own wisdom of experience, is absolutely amazing.