Competitiveness itself is generally not a bad thing, it's how people treat competitions that make them unhealthy. In other words, if the only goal is to win and not learn anything in the process, children will be discouraged when they lose.
But, if parents, coaches and other adults learn to see how to lose constructively, children will learn much more from the competitions in which they participate… So parents and adults in their environment have a leading role in all this. Healthy competition provides a growth mindset and eradicates fixed mindsets.
For example, When children believe that the qualities they have cannot be changed, such as being bad at math, then they have a fixed mindset. Consequently, when children have this mindset, they believe that change is not possible and that they are stuck… and that they cannot suddenly change or develop the skills they want or need. Children with a fixed mindset often feel the need to test themselves over and over again and evaluate themselves in an all or nothing way.
Meanwhile, the opposite of a fixed mindset is the growth mindset. Children with a growth mindset recognize their current skills and abilities, but believe that they can change, improve, or add new skills with time and effort. As a result, when children have a growth mindset, they are more likely to approach the competition and understand that if they don't do well, it's not the end of the world. They know that they can learn and improve. Y, Most importantly, they are willing to try. Your kids can have a great growth mindset if you help them get there! Your guidance and support is essential.