Screen time is bad for kids, they say. But there are exceptions to every rule, and the next 2 weeks are an exception.
You see, for 40 minutes this morning I watched water polo with my son. It was Serbia versus Greece in a prelim match at Rio 2016. We don’t really know the rules of water polo, we didn’t know any of the players, and yet we watched. He didn’t ask to put on Pokemon, he didn’t ask for an iPad, we just sat there and watched these beasts of men do battle in the pool.
When the Olympics are on, I’ll let my kids watch all the tv they want. There is so much inspiration, there is so much pride, there is so much “OMG, I want to be like THAT!”
“Are they touching the bottom of the pool, daddy?” Zacharie asked, thinking about his own swimming lessons and wondering how these guys could float for so long while playing “soccer in the pool.” His mind was blown when I told him they were treading water the whole time.
A new level of “wow, look what people can do” was achieved. From watching water polo.
All day Saturday and all day Sunday the tv was on as we wandered in and out doing our chores. The boys had a friend over for a playdate, they went out for golf lessons, we chased Pokemon, but the tv was on in the background humming the incredible achievements of athletes from around the world and introducing new heros to my boys
Charlie has a fondness for Jen Kish, captain of the Canadian women’s rugby sevens team.
He likes her “baby duck hair” and thinks her tattoos are pretty cool too. Zacharie was screaming for the women’s beach volleyball team and got really excited when the Canadian men upset the Americans.
Too much screen time is bad, but you can never give your kids too much inspiration. From the time Zacharie met Alex Bilodeau, to writing letters to the Canadian team in 2014, to getting wrapped up in these games, I love it when my kids are inspired to find their inner greatness and learn #WhatItTakes.
Even the commercials are inspiring my kids as this spoken word gem from Shane Koyczan for Sport Chek has dominated our screen for the past week.
We hope you hear them cheer for everyone…but you.
We hope defeat is in your cards.
We hope your hope splinters into shards that you must handpick from the bleeding wound of your defeat.
We hope that every athlete you meet is better, more determined than you.
Because you need to be tested the same way wrong needs right.
The same way roar needs fight.
You must fight to be here.
You must pay with sacrifice,
You must disregard the price of admission,
If you want in it will cost you.
We hope for a flash flood of fear and uncertainty,
We wish this misery upon you because it gives birth to brilliance.
There will be a moment in which everything you want becomes a singular goal.
A moment of debt when every heartbeat you own can’t pay for every breath you stole.
You must pay with the whole of you, because this is the price and these are the stakes,
You must pay for all the hurts and all the aches,
You must open your heart like a vault and pay for your pain because this…this is what it takes.
The boys love the look Donovan Bailey gives as he crossed the line 20 years ago. I can’t wait for them to experience more of that greatness over the next two weeks.
You can grab your official Team Canada Olympic Gear by Adidas at Sport Chek so you’re properly flagged up as you watch cycling, judo, rugby, volleyball, soccer, rowing, and .. water polo.
Disclosure: Sport Chek is a brand partner of DadCAMP.