6 Lessons My Kids Learned From The Superbowl

I’m a Carolina Panthers fan. I have been from the beginning way back in 1995 and this season was just awesome. We were so excited to make it to the Superbowl and to watch our team play. The game did not go our way, we didn’t play well, and it was disappointing. However, if we had to lose to a team I’m glad it was the Broncos. I like Peyton Manning, I like him a lot. I think he’s a really classy, stand up guy and I’m happy for him. We are a family who loves football and we watch as many games as possible- Sunday, Monday, Thursday…we watch them all. And we let our kids stay up to watch the Superbowl. We spent Sunday getting prepped for the big game. 

We bought ourselves some new Panthers gear to celebrate. We made some delicious snacks and treats for the game. We had a house full of friends and family including a whole group of teenagers. We cheered our team on even when things weren’t going our way. Then we watched our team lose. And there were some lessons learned.

1- Good defense is just as important as good offense. This was a great lesson for Mase. Ty plays middle linebacker so he already understands the importance of strong defense. Mase is still young enough to be enamored by the glitter of being a quarterback. So this was a great lesson for him. The offense might score the big plays but the defense is the foundation of a team.

2- You’re never too old. The age span between Cam Newton and Peyton Manning was the largest ever in a Superbowl. And with age comes wisdom. The lesson that it’s never too late was a great one….especially for the teenager who thinks his parents are ancient.

3- Good sportsmanship means being gracious in defeat as well as in victory. Oh boy. That post-game press conference. Yikes. I understand Cam Newton was very disappointed. We all were. But you have to stand up like a man and show your character. This was a great opportunity for us to talk with our kids about sportsmanship. You have to show grace- both when you win and when you lose. 

4- Playing with integrity is the most important thing. While I wasn’t thrilled with a lot of the missed calls by the referees it was great to watch a game where the teams played with integrity. There were no cheap shots, no fights, very little trash talking…it was great to watch. 

5- Never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. I loved being able to talk to the kids about Peyton Manning and share his great comeback story. Everyone counted him out after his surgery and look at him now! That’s a lesson that I hope sinks in for my kids. Believe in yourself, no matter what everyone else is saying.

6- Don’t repeat the words yelled by your parents when you go to school. Yeah. Probably the biggest lesson of all that was learned during the Superbowl game. 

All in all, it was a great season and we are very proud of our Carolina Panthers #keeppounding #pantherspride