Last Saturday evening's Cro Idol song competition (which was well organized by the Mladez HDZ) in Melbourne was a great example of a fun-filled event that the whole community can embrace. A packed house at the Croatian House (Hrvatski Dom) in Footscray was treated to a fabulous evening of food, drink, music and culture, which is what this event should be all about.

As a former contestant and a lover of Croatian music and culture, in general, I was really proud to see so many young faces both in the crowd and most importantly on the stage. Some singers were obviously more talented than others, some were desperate to win and others seemed happy just to have a go.

Whatever the case, the importance of such an event as the Cro Idol song festival should be in the participation and not in winning the event - at all costs. Last Saturday's sold-out event triggered an issue that has been a mainstay (particularly in migrant culture); one that needs to be addressed.

All too often, we see children and teenagers pressured in performing, be it at school, sport or in any other extra curricular activities. Living in a society that constantly places pressure on developing people (children and teenagers) to ''win at all costs'', sometimes we fail to recognize that participation is as - if not more - important than simply winning. By heaping unnecessary pressure on our youth, we are creating division and unhealthy competition, which can lead to major problems (insecurity, fear of failure etc) in later life.

To use a sporting analogy, the FIFA World Cup sees 32 teams pit themselves against one another for the greatest prize in the world's most loved sport, soccer. Of these 32, only one team will hoist the trophy over their head at the conclusion of the tournament. Only one team will be a success. This means that 31 teams and 31 nations will be left feeling disappointed, shattered and angry. The odds just don't stack up if we are only ready to praise the winner.

What we forget is that the World Cup is for grown men, not impressionable youngsters that have their whole life ahead of themselves. All too often I have seen the same principle applied to local junior soccer teams and the parents that 'demand success' from their children. In reality, not everyone can be the next Mark Viduka, Josip Skoko or Joe Simunic. And not everyone wants to! 

So for all those parents and family members that had the privilege to see their offspring perform from our rich musical culture, at last Saturday evening's event, I beg you to show your support... win or lose. A friendly smile, a hug or a word of praise can go a long way in ensuring that your child is raised as a well-rounded individual, rather than a resentful and cynical member of society.

The reality is that not everyone can be a (material) winner, but as the most important people in your children's lives, you (the parents and close family) should always make them feel like a winner. Children and teenagers have enough time later on in life to stress about winning and achieving material success.

For the time being let them enjoy life. 

Josip LONCARIC