A message we try to send in every JumpBunch class is that instead of saying "I give up" we should say "I'll try again." To learn anything, we must experience failure. In fact, to get really good at something we must fail a lot! Think about the fact that the greatest hitter in baseball history still made an out 60% of the time. Michael Jordan, likely the greatest basketball player of all time, was cut from his team long before he went on to star for the University of North Carolina and Chicago Bulls. Many consider Peyton Manning as one of the best quarterbacks of all time, and he holds the NFL record for most career touchdown passes with 539. However, over the course of that career, he also threw 251 interceptions. His accomplishments, and all athletes who achieve great things, would never be possible if the reaction to failure was anything other than trying again...and again...and again.
Children should be taught many things, but one of them is not to be afraid of trying something new or to try again. Instead, the focus should be on the enjoyment of exploration and the fun that is possible even when you don't get it right the first time. At the earliest of ages, this is way more important than being limited to one activity or saddled with an expectation that failure is bad. The better message is that it is a big world filled with many things worth trying, and trying is the only real way to find out what you like, are good at, or can be great at through practice and enjoyment of the game.
To bring this message home, here is a link to one of our absolute favorite videos that is a great example of never giving up and what can happen when you just keep trying.
