Editorial: Parents in race to celebrate

This years Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon has seen record-breaking numbers

Kids' sporting events are a showcase of every parental-personality type.

Yesterday's hugely successful Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon was a great example.

On show were parents yelling at full noise, those offering quiet words of encouragement and those who merely stand watching, offering nothing verbal.

With his son nearing the finish line and drawing on cardiovascular reserves, one father next to me stole the show with his line: "C'mon [son's name omitted] there's only 100 metres to glory!"

A tad gladiatorial, but buoyant nonetheless.

And frankly, who cares if many of the more bellicose parents are, as some experts attest, vicariously participating through their kids. They turned up. So, too, the quiet parents, who realise their presence is enough.

So, while the competitor muster of 1300 kids was something to celebrate - so was the sheer number of parents there to encourage them. Many were still in their workclothes, be they suits, white overalls or work boots. It was the understated highlight of the show.

The diversity in sideline parental technique made for some self-reflection. Am I too soft on them? Too harsh? Does winning really matter at that age?

I decided sometimes yes, sometimes yes and sometimes yes.

This writer was lucky enough to have the morning off to watch the event in peace. Still, the fuss about the traffic jam outside the event was misplaced. The snarl-up simply highlighted the competition's allure - and underscored how many parents made the dash from work to watch their young ones. Kudos to you.