What parent's say about Spelling Bees By Dr. Ratnam Chitturi

Most children probably would wonder if Spelling Contests are suitable for them, when asked to participate in them by their parents.

The most common excuses that I normally hear from one would be that he or she did not prepare for the contest or that his or her chances of winning are slim. I disagree with such excuses. If every one thinks like that, then we end up defeating the whole purpose of these contests. (Yes, and you will see why.)

How about some really bizarre excuses that I hear, although only occasionally, such as for example, that they find these contests time consuming, that they interfere with other activities or that these contests are poorly conducted. Now, the best excuse that I have ever heard was that "parents" actually object to the contest as they are afraid that their children won't win.

After all, we ought to view these contests as a means to learn and enjoy, but not just to win a contest. In other words, think of them as a steppingstone to learning, to obtain superior language skills. How many of us ever deny our children the best that money can buy for the after-school activities? How about the hundreds of dollars and hours of time spent for learning karate, swimming, tennis and Kumon classes (the list goes on!)? Do we ever think of wasting money or "losing" (not winning) in these activities?

Do you know that the preparation needed for the spelling bee contest may be just 15-20 minutes a day? All the words that your child needs are available at a web site. Also, this preparation goes a long way in preparing them for their college entrance tests (SAT, ACT, etc.) There is even a spelling bee game on the web site for those who like computer-based training.

An often-unrecognized benefit from this preparation is self-confidence that the child gains with having a powerful vocabulary. Can anybody put a price on this or deny them this great opportunity? We think not and this endeavor is worth every minute, as the gains from it will last them a lifetime.

We can't stress enough that these contests are intended for the Indian American children, to prepare them for the highly competitive world out there. We also hope participation in these contests prepares them to take on leadership roles in whatever field they choose to pursue in future. Success stories of past participants are the ultimate testimonials, with many of them having already graduated from some of the top schools in the country.

Why delay and why worry about winning or losing? These contests are for each and every one of the Indian American children. Prepare them for a better future.

Please visit the web site to register for a contest center near you and start preparing now with the words list on the web:http://www.northsouth.org .