This war on Participation Trophies is completely overblown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To me, the focus on participation serves a valuable purpose.

Some kids are just crappy at sports -- they have lousy hand-eye coordination, fall over their feet when they run, etc. When the focus is on winning, those kids quickly learn to bow out of team sports, for the good of their teammates. They learn not to do things they aren't good at, and they are discouraged from physical activity. Is that what we want kids to learn?

I agree with this, and I suspect that the people who are most offended by trophies for effort rather than for "winning" have very athletic children or children who shine at something.

+1

[Anonymous]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2015/08/18/jim-vance-giving-kids-participation-trophies-is-child-abuse/

Veteran news anchor Jim Vance has never been shy about weighing in on sports-related topics. The NBC Washington stalwart has offered opinions on the Redskins’ name (“vulgar“), the team’s quarterbacking situation and, recently, Bryce Harper’s ejection.

But Monday brought an exceptionally hot sports-related take, when the subject of giving kids participation trophies came up during the station’s 6 p.m. newscast. Vance’s stance? “Child abuse.”

Sports anchor Jason Pugh passed along Steelers linebacker James Harrison’s comments, made via Instagram, that he would be returning a pair of participation trophies given to his two young boys “until they EARN a real trophy.” Harrison added, “I’m not about to raise two boys to be men by making them believe that they are entitled to something just because they tried their best.”

Pugh noted, pointedly, that Harrison’s children are “six and eight years old,” and the anchor made it clear that he disagreed with Harrison’s decision. That sparked this exchange:

Pugh: “Six and eight, and you take away participation …”

Vance: “Yes.”

Pugh: “Yes?”

Wendy Rieger: “Yes, absolutely.”

Pugh: “That is ridiculous … No.”

Vance: “You begin teaching your children from the moment they come into this Earth …”

Pugh: “Six years old?”

Vance: “It’s child abuse to give a kid a trophy that he has not earned. If a parent’s responsibility is to teach a kid how to deal with the real world, then that is child abuse. Because that’s not the real world.”

[Anonymous]

My kids weren't great swimmers but we woke up every morning for most of the summer at 6 AM in order to be in the pool at 7. They got in the water when it was cold. They couldn't go on sleep overs because they had to be in the pool the next morning. Everybody on the swim team worked hard. Honestly, I think everyone should have gotten a participation trophy and we could have all done without the bowing and scraping to Big Athletic Kid who made a production about getting the same damned MVP trophy he gets every single year, all proudly filmed by Big Athletic Dad. The kids who really don't need trophies are the athletes. They already know they're the best, and they get lots of accolades every time they play, and they definitely don't need the self-esteem boost (nor do their dads).

My pet peeve is that you can get a trophy for showing up at soccer but if you do well on your SAT's you're not supposed to talk about it because it will make Big Athletic Kid and his Big Athletic Dad feel bad. What's that all about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Vance: “It’s child abuse to give a kid a trophy that he has not earned. If a parent’s responsibility is to teach a kid how to deal with the real world, then that is child abuse. Because that’s not the real world.”

Yes, I agree with Jim Vance! Children should not get participation trophies if they did not participate.

(Actually, I'm pretty sure that this is not what Jim Vance meant to say.)

[Anonymous]

I have never really been bothered by the trophies when they were little, but this discussion is interesting. My kids are all older now and that type of reward has stopped, and I don't see any damage done. They know when they deserve something. I do agree with the pp who mentions so much public reward for athletics rather than academics is weird and unique to our culture. Why not publicly reward the great student, the kid who speaks 4 languages, or is a genius robotics person? I don't know, but it seems like we don't have our priorities straight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids weren't great swimmers but we woke up every morning for most of the summer at 6 AM in order to be in the pool at 7. They got in the water when it was cold. They couldn't go on sleep overs because they had to be in the pool the next morning. Everybody on the swim team worked hard. Honestly, I think everyone should have gotten a participation trophy and we could have all done without the bowing and scraping to Big Athletic Kid who made a production about getting the same damned MVP trophy he gets every single year, all proudly filmed by Big Athletic Dad. The kids who really don't need trophies are the athletes. They already know they're the best, and they get lots of accolades every time they play, and they definitely don't need the self-esteem boost (nor do their dads).

My pet peeve is that you can get a trophy for showing up at soccer but if you do well on your SAT's you're not supposed to talk about it because it will make Big Athletic Kid and his Big Athletic Dad feel bad. What's that all about?

Sounds like you have some issues with athletes and you really don't get the meaning of trophies, which are by definition prizes given in recognition of victory or success. They're not self-esteem boosters. And a "participation trophy," unless it is given to members of a team that won a competition, is a contradiction in terms. My kids have been on the swim team since they were 8. Somehow they've survived the early mornings, cold water, decreased sleepovers AND other kids getting the MVP trophies in that sport well into their high school years. They've swum enough races to realize that not everyone can be first or the best, but being part of a team and working hard are still worth it. I'll take that lesson any day over a hunk of medal that means nothing. It also means that much more to them when they do participate in something where they excel.

btw, hear plenty of parents talking about how their kids did on their SATs, so I guess I've missed that ban. I don't think it's right for kids to brag, but trust me, everyone knows who the Big Brain is just like they know who the Big Athletic kid is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids weren't great swimmers but we woke up every morning for most of the summer at 6 AM in order to be in the pool at 7. They got in the water when it was cold. They couldn't go on sleep overs because they had to be in the pool the next morning. Everybody on the swim team worked hard. Honestly, I think everyone should have gotten a participation trophy and we could have all done without the bowing and scraping to Big Athletic Kid who made a production about getting the same damned MVP trophy he gets every single year, all proudly filmed by Big Athletic Dad. The kids who really don't need trophies are the athletes. They already know they're the best, and they get lots of accolades every time they play, and they definitely don't need the self-esteem boost (nor do their dads).

My pet peeve is that you can get a trophy for showing up at soccer but if you do well on your SAT's you're not supposed to talk about it because it will make Big Athletic Kid and his Big Athletic Dad feel bad. What's that all about?

Wow, you are strange

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Sounds like you have some issues with athletes and you really don't get the meaning of trophies, which are by definition prizes given in recognition of victory or success. They're not self-esteem boosters. And a "participation trophy," unless it is given to members of a team that won a competition, is a contradiction in terms. My kids have been on the swim team since they were 8. Somehow they've survived the early mornings, cold water, decreased sleepovers AND other kids getting the MVP trophies in that sport well into their high school years. They've swum enough races to realize that not everyone can be first or the best, but being part of a team and working hard are still worth it. I'll take that lesson any day over a hunk of medal that means nothing. It also means that much more to them when they do participate in something where they excel.

btw, hear plenty of parents talking about how their kids did on their SATs, so I guess I've missed that ban. I don't think it's right for kids to brag, but trust me, everyone knows who the Big Brain is just like they know who the Big Athletic kid is.

How so? You participate, you get a trophy. I don't see the contradiction.

And yes, plenty of children swim on teams without getting participation trophies. And so? That doesn't mean that participation trophies are stupid and harmful and nobody should get them. It just means that your kids didn't care about them.

[Anonymous]

I agree it is not a good thing to award children for doing nothing. http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2015/03/09/parents-stop-overvaluing-your-kid-you-may-create-a-future-narcissist-study-says/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree it is not a good thing to award children for doing nothing. http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2015/03/09/parents-stop-overvaluing-your-kid-you-may-create-a-future-narcissist-study-says/

It's a participation trophy, not a nothing trophy.

[Anonymous]

Needless landfill. An end of the season party is always fun for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree it is not a good thing to award children for doing nothing. http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2015/03/09/parents-stop-overvaluing-your-kid-you-may-create-a-future-narcissist-study-says/

It's a participation trophy, not a nothing trophy.

no, it really is a nothing trophy. They got it because you drive them there. That's it. Complete waste of the environment too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree it is not a good thing to award children for doing nothing. http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2015/03/09/parents-stop-overvaluing-your-kid-you-may-create-a-future-narcissist-study-says/

It's a participation trophy, not a nothing trophy.

no, it really is a nothing trophy. They got it because you drive them there. That's it. Complete waste of the environment too.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree it is not a good thing to award children for doing nothing. http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2015/03/09/parents-stop-overvaluing-your-kid-you-may-create-a-future-narcissist-study-says/

It's a participation trophy, not a nothing trophy.

no, it really is a nothing trophy. They got it because you drive them there. That's it. Complete waste of the environment too.

+1

Repeating myself here -

I think that a certificate of participation with a team group picture printed on it (maybe even the names of the players) would be more valuable and emphasize the team spirit. It would be a nice momento of participation, but would steer away from being a trophy.

It will take care of all the kids who are special and not so special. All parents who document every moment or don't.

[Anonymous]

Well, I think if we are throwing around words like "child abuse", then yes, the OP is pretty solid in the point that this is overblown.

Get a grip. Its gross to even bring up the words child abuse in trying to make one's point about this frivolity.