Do We Give Children Too Many Awards?
As a kid who scored on her own team and cheered when the opposing team made a goal, I did not deserve a trophy. Gradually I improved in soccer but in the beginning it was fair to say, I was horrible. However, I still received a medal every year, as did everyone else. Participating is seen as a win in the eyes of children. While yes, it does encourage the young to get exercise and try new things, it destroys their attitude towards receiving anything of value. It also creates a sense of entitlement.
Children who receive trophies for something as simple as participating later grow up and their mentality switches to the school setting, believing they deserve an “A”, just for trying. Our generation is unmotivated. We no longer strive to be the best we can be because we are trained to think that we should receive full credit for attempting. It is seen as an accomplishment and absurd to not miss a single day in high school when it is a standard that kindergartners are also held to. It is too late for the teen generation of today, let’s not see the same trend with the elementary age.
There is not a single person who enjoys losing and yes, it is hard to hurt children’s feelings but seeing others work hard and win a first place trophy implements the idea that we should not set our goal as being mediocre, we shoot for being above the bar. Medals are given for everything ranging from attendance to most points scored. It is time that we teach adolescents that showing up is not what we should want to receive recognition for, having solid C’s on transcripts is not what we endeavor for. We desire and make an honest effort to try our absolute hardest, not scared to work. Working hard and going above forms creative individuals. Pushing themselves to new limits teaches them a lot about their character. They do not perform in robotic similarity because when thinking is done outside the box, no one but that individual can acquire unexampled thinking.
If young children are taught at an early age that hard work is needed to be awarded, and that awards are not a right, they are a privilege, the work ethic of upcoming generations will greatly improve. If medals were not handed out as quickly as free samples at Costco, students will make a greater effort to prove their worth. If parents had a different mentality and seen a first place medal as a chance for their child to improve instead of an unrealistic target that will only end up crushing their child, the children would become tougher and less likely to give up. Those growing up need to be taught the simple expression of, it does not matter if you fall, it matters that you get back up and try again. Failing is not the end of the world because in the end, the horrible feeling of loss magnifies the feeling of a hard earned win. Children need to see that small accomplishes deserve small praise but giving to many rewards devalues the prize they receive when they do something great.
