What the Paralympics Can Teach Our Children About Self-Belief, Failure & Goal-Setting

By Katie Harrison

Within the excitement of the Paralympics, there are important life lessons to share with even our youngest children. Throughout the Paralympic events, we can expect demonstrations of grit and determination from world-class athletes.

Over 400,000 children recently heard lessons from a Paralympian during Picture News’ Biggest Assembly. Four-time Paralympic long jumper, Stef Reid, told her story and shared reflections from her athletic career, to encourage the younger generation to be inspired by, and learn from, the Games.

So, in celebration of the Paralympics, here are six lessons from Stef Reid to share with children and shed light on the Games you watch this summer.

Prioritise fun and fulfilment

Enjoyment drives many Paralympic career aspirations, and Stef agrees that fun is essential. ‘Sport is for everyone’, she says, ‘it doesn’t matter if you’re not very good at it the first time. … It’s about [having] fun. I always did my best performances when I was having fun.’ Supporting our children to pursue interests and hobbies they enjoy paves the way for them to continue this approach throughout their childhood and in later life. Prioritising fulfilment is vital – and is something us adults could do with remembering too.

Set bite-sized goals

Another really valuable lesson Stef shares is how breaking down a big goal into smaller goals can help you achieve it. For instance, long distance running, in her words, makes her feel like she’s ‘going to die’. But she advises to ‘break it down into smaller goals’ and ‘just focus on that next half a kilometre.’ Deconstructing goals is something children can try out. From taking their first steps to solving problems at school or nursery, praising children’s efforts and guiding them to set smaller, bite-sized targets is a productive way to teach them how to persevere, and build their confidence to face future challenges.

Believe in your dreams

During their early years, children begin to develop a sense of self as they explore the world around them. Searching for self-confidence is familiar territory for Stef. She explains how belief in herself was crucial to enable her athletic career, following a boating accident which led to the amputation of her right foot. Stef described the ‘funny looks’ of others when she’d share her sporting ambitions, but says, ‘It's really nice when other people believe in your dreams. But it's not required. Because I believed in them, and I had a plan’. At home and school, adults can provide a secure base of comfort, support and reassurance for children, to encourage them to develop their own confidence and self-belief over time.

Stay optimistic about change

Stef discusses her disability and the many changes she dealt with following the amputation. She ‘had a very specific vision about what life was going to look like’, but after her accident, needed to ‘find a new path’. Yet the Paralympian has an inspiring approach to change in circumstances – that ultimately, it’s okay. ‘Life changes all the time. It rarely goes how you think it's going to go, but that's okay because you can always find a new way and new dreams.’ We can remind our children of Stef’s optimism and strength in the face of change, to help them navigate new situations throughout their childhood and beyond.

Don’t fear failure

The world-record holder has said that failure is inevitable for sporting professionals: ‘In my athletic career, I spent way more time losing than I ever did winning.’ Whilst attention may be on those on the podiums this summer, for every participant, there are rollercoasters of wins and losses. But for Stef, a positive mindset is key to handling mistakes and failures. She views them as chances to learn and progress: ‘You have this one competition where you were able to put together all those things you learned in all of those losses, and it leads to this amazing performance.’ The decorated Paralympian’s outlook on loss and mistakes is something for children to emulate as they explore the world around them and learn to fail positively.

Effort is essential

For Stef, it’s simple – doing your best matters. ‘It doesn't matter what you are doing in life, it doesn't matter if it's your homework, doesn't matter if you're cleaning the kitchen ... It doesn't matter if I am going out there into the stadium to compete. All that matters is that I've done my best’. Resilience and dedication make for a world-class attitude, so for our children, when completing any challenge or activity, effort is what counts. Being ‘in it to win it’ can be healthy, but measuring success on effort and commitment can be great for children who are learning about themselves and how to deal with challenges.

The athletes participating in the Paralympics this summer exhibit examples of resilience, dedication and self-belief, which are important traits for our children to see from a young age. So, when the Paralympics are on the television this summer, share Stef’s message with the children in your life; how standing on the podium is a culmination of passion, resilience, and dedication, all of which are characteristics they can show, too.

Katie Harrison is a former teacher and founder of Picture News, a supplier of teacher resources for creating engaging and exciting lessons about current affairs so children can learn about the world around them. The BIGGEST Olympic Assembly with Stef Reid MBE is available to watch online for free – access the short recap here or watch in full (with a British Sign Language interpreter) here.