No I don't have kids (yet -- I hope it's a yet ...). Yes I have seen many a young person's "graduation" from Pre-K, Kindergarten, Elementary to Middle School ... yes I have seen too many kids get "trophies and medals" for things that are not truly "award" worthy ...
A performance at the end of a year spent in drama class - or a production at the end of rehearsals - those are the rewards ... not some medal or trophy saying "good on you for sticking to something that wasn't a competition of any sort" ... am I right? Getting all gussied up in some pretty/sparkly/frilly/tutu'y outfit, and with your make up done to be in a dance recital at the end of the year taking classes and learning, is the award, isn't it?
Medals/trophies for an entire team finishing a year in soccer, basketball or some other sport ... what's that about? Isn't it - shouldn't it be - about learning to be a member of a team, learning athletic skills, and getting to play games with one another?
Why is an Olympic Medal something to strive for if you get one at the end of every year you finish a sport?
Trophies and medals are for "extreme" accomplishment -- the top three winning teams, the top 3 winners in a race ... not merely finishing the year in a program you wanted to participate in. At least that's the way I think it should still be.
My MVP Trophy for best defense on my basketball team in HS means something to me because I worked hard to be the best defender on the team ... it wouldn't mean as much if I simply had a "you finished the year in basketball" trophy. I'm just sayin'!
No I don't have children, but I do think that children need to grow up learning and growing, and knowing that not every accomplishment is reason for an award. Every f'ing thing they doe does not need to be a celebration, it won't be in the real world, there's no party every time I finish a project at work, or run a mile to stay in shape. If they're rewarded for EVERYTHING it never lets them see, and experience, the moments when they are truly doing something outstanding ... perhaps I shouldn't speak "until" I have kids ... but ... we'll, I've spoken, so there.
And here's a blog entry that I ran across on Facebook that pretty much prompted this post. There's at least one other someone out there who thinks along the same lines I do. LOL
http://www.xojane.com/family/i-hate-all-these-childhood-graduation-events
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