Of all the sports stories in the recent past, it would be hard to argue that Tiger Woods’ downfall isn’t the largest of all sports-related stories. It is too bad that someone’s moral downfall is a huge story, but people in America love to see people fall as much as they love to see the underdog win. If you don’t believe me, ask yourself, “Who got more press: Tiger Woods, or the Super Bowl-winning New Orleans Saints?”
What can we teach our young people from this public display of infidelity? I think we can teach a few quality lessons to our young people that will also hopefully rub off on adults.
In my kids’ bedrooms there are posters of various college and professional athletes. Adam gets Sports
Illustrated for Kids
and we always add the most recent mini-poster to his line of athletes that adorn the wall. One thing my wife and I want to emphasize to our children is that while these athletes are really good at sports, they are just people. They have no more worth as individuals than anyone else. They may do something really well that we also like to do, but there is no more reason to admire Kevin Garnett than anyone else in our lives.
Thesecond thing we try to emphasize to our kids is that all people make mistakes. Some mistakes are small like not sharing your Matchbox cars, and others are more serious like being dishonest and cheating. Sometimes these very serious mistakes of dishonesty and cheating can be very hurtful, harmful, and have lasting effects. While I don’t want to get into a morality lesson, the reality is that all people make mistakes. No one is perfect.
We rarely have the television on in our home, so our children really don’t fully understand all of the details about Tiger Woods’ downfall. They don’t know about the seriousness of marital infidelity and the lifelong consequences it can bring. They cheer for him just like they cheer for Phil Mickelson who, unless proven otherwise, is a family man who is supremely dedicated to his wife and kids. Is it bad for me as a parent to allow that?
I don’t think so, because my wife and I also want to teach our children to forgive others. In our culture this seems like such a foreign concept. When someone offends us or disappoints us, it is so much easier to write them off, or walk away and hold a grudge. In reality, this approach does nothing but create further damage in our own lives.
Tiger’s indiscretions are serious and alarming and now he has paid some serious consequences. No one can argue the fact that he was held accountable, not only by his wife and his sponsors, but by people as a whole.
Hopefully now a process that my wife and I want our children to learn will occur: The challenging lessons of loving and forgiving people. This is no easy task and we all struggle to carry out those ideals in our lives.
While we view Tiger Woods and his downfall with disdain, I wonder if we could all look at the situation and learn how we could become better people. I know that I have many flaws as a person that can be seen on a daily basis. I hope the ones who are closest to me will be more forgiving than judgmental.
Mitch Dorr, a Cook County
High School Class of 1993
graduate, is now a social
studies teacher and coach at
his former alma mater. Mitch
coaches Vikings football and
boys’ basketball.
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