As a former Chairman of Parent Teacher Association (PIBG) for several schools when my four kids were studying in their primary & secondary education; I see sports as more than merely physical activity. I see them as a powerful way to help children understand themselves and others. The World Cup gives families a rare opportunity to watch real human emotions unfold on a global stage and turn those moments into meaningful conversations. Every match gives parents and educators a chance to talk about patience, teamwork, emotional control, disappointment, diversity, fairness, courage, strategy & tactics.(www.fifa.com>worldcup2026<)
I noticed children want their team to win. They feel excitement, frustration, hope, disappointment, and pride. That emotional investment creates teachable moments. Children struggle with losing because they experience disappointment in a very direct way. A favorite team's elimination can feel personal. For parents, when a child feels strongly about a game, do not dismiss the emotion. But use it positively. Strong feelings are often the doorway to real growth.
In my years of HR development coaching, I have seen children do not become resilient by being told, “Don't be upset.” They become resilient when adults help them name the feeling, understand it, and take the next step. I use simple words after my 10 year-old grandson, Izz Fayyadh experienced a difficult match. I said, “I can see you're really disappointed. That means you cared,” or “Losing hurts, but it also teaches us how to come back & win,” or “What do you think your team can learn from this tough game.” My goal is not to remove his disappointment, but my goal is to teach him how to move through it.
World Cup matches can also show children moments of conflict: fouls, arguments, yellow cards, red cards, time-wasting, frustration, or poor reaction from players. Parents may feel tempted to ignore these moments, but they can become powerful leadership lessons. Instead of saying, “That player is bad,” ask questions that build moral reasoning: “What choice did that player make?” or “Was that fair to the other team?” or “What could they have done instead?”
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Zulkifly Baharom (hajizul50@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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