I THINK that we all accept now that social media is somewhere to brag about the achievements in life by ourselves and our families.

That’s just a statement not necessarily a condemnation. I’m as guilty as everyone else on using places like Facebook to let the world know about the good things that happen to me and mine.

Significantly, though, most people don’t bother to balance it out by posting about the not-so-good things. The result is that many people look like they have charmed lives in the social media world — which can be very different from the truth in the real world.

I only mention this because it is one of the reasons why some parents get so upset at school sports days around this time of year.

You can hear them and spot the moment that gentle encouragement to do well turns into fully fledged yelling to win at all costs.

The determination by parents to be able to boast about their children’s achievements has become so skewed that at one Cardiff primary school they have had to take action.

In fact, the head-teacher Sian Evens has rebuked pushy parents who film their children’s sports days just so they can challenge the results. In other words, their child could not possibly lose and they think they have the footage to prove it. She has written to the school’s 200 parents telling them that “the teacher’s word is final”.

In a world where we are relying on VAR (Video Assistant Referee) to have the definitive vote on contentious football match decisions, some parents actually believe they can emulate this to get a favourable result for themselves. Ridiculous!

However, it really isn’t hard to believe when you hear some parents on the side-lines at any children’s football match or other junior sporting events. While possibly not achievers themselves, they are determined THEIR children will be the best.

Accepting that there are times when you will lose in life is one of the biggest lessons children have to learn. Unfortunately, some parents have plainly never learned this. Life throws up winners and losers on a regular basis and in everything. Being gracious in defeat is as important as being a gracious winner. Acknowledge the better player on the day, do your best and that’s the most anyone can hope for, in ourselves and in our children.