Bode Miller relies on carrots and sticks to educate his children. © Instagram/millerbode
A video of ski legend Bode Miller is causing controversial reactions. The skiing legend has his son run up a mountain.
Munich – Never give up: a good quality for a competitive athlete like Bode Miller. Probably even one that took him to the top and made him the most successful ski racer in the USA. The ski legend, who retired in 2017, also attaches great importance to mental resilience in the upbringing of his son. Some people think his method is good, others think it's bad.
| Samuel Bode Miller | |
|---|---|
| Born: | October 12, 1977 (age 45), Easton, New Hampshire, United States |
| End of career: | 2017 |
| Greatest successes: | Olympic victory 2010, 4x World Championship gold, 33 World Cup victories |
| Disciplines: | Downhill, Giant Slalom, Super-G, Combined |
Instagram video of ski legend Bode Miller is hotly debated
There is a lot of discussion about his recently uploaded video on Instagram at the moment. Miller filmed his son struggling up a mountain, while the 45-year-old himself sits in the car and drives behind. As he explains in the video description, this is by no means a voluntary mountain run, but an educational measure.
"After he let his football team down in the first game of the year, I'll let him run up the mountain," said the 2010 Olympic champion, explaining the punishment for his son. "Enforcing consequences isn't my favorite part of parenting, but learning from them is important," he writes.
U.S. ski star Bode Miller justifies educational measure: "Teach never to give up"
For Miller, it's "so much more than a football game," but rather "teaching our kids to never give up." The video polarized his Instagram followers and attracted the attention of several American media outlets. Some are in favor of Miller's way of upbringing, some are fiercely critical.
Miller probably already suspected that the video would provoke controversial reactions. "For those who are worried, mountain running was his idea. He said he didn't run during the game. This kid is on the next level," he wrote, adding the hashtag "prouddad" – "proud father."
Punishment mountain run for son: Bode Miller earns approval and criticism
He received approval from parts of the Instagram community: "He was part of the team and others counted on him, especially during the game. There are consequences in life – we don't always get what we want. He won't like it for now, but he'll learn from it," one user said.
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But there was still criticism. "It's incredible. Such upbringing can lead to extreme resentment and serious problems in emotional development," another user wrote. In the meantime, the comment function under the video has been deactivated.
The brilliant performance of the German national ice hockey team at the World Cup offered no cause for criticism at all. Germany's NHL star Moritz Seider, together with his girlfriend, forms a real winter sports dream couple - she kept her fingers crossed for him in the final. (epp)