Funny, sad, bizarre things captivating kids during Olympics

If tennis great Billie Jean King was right and sport’s great tales of heroism are a microcosm of life, then what an education our kids are currently having, writes Karlie Rutherford.

Thanks to Boomers captain Patty Mills, for the past two weeks every time my two-year-old son Paddy sees the basketball on television he yells out, “it’s me!” That’s how many times he’s heard his name on TV.

Meanwhile, my three-year-old daughter Charlotte constantly asks me to sing the “Australia Song” after hearing the Australian National anthem being played at least 14 times already. It’s quickly overtaken Frozen’s “Let It Go” as her favourite song and she’s found an affinity with the part, “our home is girt by sea.”

Boomers Captain Patty Mills has become a favourite with kids. Picture: Adam Head.

It’s fair to say that these past two weeks, screen time limits have been non-existent in my house.

My children’s education has been via the scenes in Tokyo.

Text books say this is probably detrimental to their brain development. But if you learn through osmosis, then our children have learnt a lot by watching a bit of sport.

Patrick Tiernan is helped by officials into a wheelchair after he collapsed in the Men’s 10,000m final

Gymnast Simone Biles showed them you don’t have to be a martyr to your job, especially if its detrimental to your own mental health.

While Cate Campbell demonstrated it’s possible to come back from setbacks, whether it be five years ago in Rio or five days ago in the 50M Freestyle final. “I told myself you find out what you’re made of when things don’t go your way,” she said after winning Gold in the 4x100m Medley Relay.

Cate Campbell reacts after Women's 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final on day nine of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Picture: Rob Carr/Getty Images.

They’ve witnessed two competing high jumpers agree to share gold and Aussie runners step into their own and mix it with the best.

Particularly, they’ve seen female athletes dominate the conversation and the medal tally. And they’ve seen people cheer just as loudly for the women‘s team (hello 2.27M who tuned into watch the Matilda’s quarterfinal match) as the mens team.

Matilda’s captain Sam Kerr has experienced the ecstasy, and agony, of competing at an Olympics. Picture: David Ramos/Getty Images.

They’ve also seen people fail. Constantly. And seen it’s all okay. Painful, yes. Disappointing, yes. But okay.

And they’ve watched their parents cry as they’ve watched athlete’s parents cry watching their child compete. It’s all very 2021.

But a quick survey of family and friends shows we aren’t the only ones learning from the Olympics.

My sister-in-law Emma had to have an in-depth discussion with my nephew Bobby after they both witnessed Australian Alex Porter’s horrific high speed crash as the handle bars fell off his bike during the team pursuit. “I had to reassure a three year old whose new to bike riding that his handle bars are definitely not going anywhere!” she told me.

While four-year-old son Otis had lots of questions when it came to the gymnastics uniform. “The ladies look so lovely in their sparkles, do the men wear sparkles to?” he asked his mum Alex.

Simone Biles returned to Team United States and won Bronze in Women's Balance Beam Final. Picture: by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images.

While his mate Maverick, 3, is just a sports fan in general. “He cheers whenever anything happens,” mum Aleece tells me. “Won gold? Yay! Fell over and came last? Yay!”

Meanwhile Anna has been recounting her Olympic dreams to her seven-year-old Grace and four-year-old Henry. “I’ve always told my kids that when I was young, it was my dream to swim at the Olympics. Which it was, for many years,” she says. “They have taken this “dream” of mine very literally and they both assume I did swim at the Olympics. And I haven’t been correcting them!”

Medallists Emily Seebohm, Kaylee McKeown, Cate Campbell, Emma McKeon, Ariarne Titmus and Izaac Stubblety-Cook pose for a photo with their medals. Picture: James Chance/Getty Images

If Billie Jean King was right, and that sport is a microcosm of life, then what an education our kids are currently having.

They are seeing people achieve their dreams, but also, learnt that no matter how hard you work sometimes those dreams just don’t come to fruition. And most of these athletes (bar tennis player Novak Djokovic) have displayed it’s not about winning and losing, what’s important is how you handle both. And if you can do all that while wearing lovely sparkly outfits, then even better!

And just imagine what’s to come when we do it all again in three weeks time for the Paralympics!

Are your kids enamoured by the Olympics? Tell us what’s kept them captivated.