What Are We Teaching Our Children?

We live in a world where kids get ribbons just for showing up, and parents are fighting at sporting events.

Think about this.

First, competition is healthy.  It makes people stronger, smarter and better.  When kids are given awards just for showing up, why would they even try to do something special?  I feel it hurts our children.  We have to show them how to compete.  How to be original.  How to follow their dreams and passions.  If you're awarded for just showing up, what's the incentive to be great? We have to teach them how to lose, and how to win.

Now, fast forward 10 or so years from kindergarten.  These kids are getting into the work force, and baffled that "just showing up" doesn't get them anywhere.  This is societies fault.  Parents, we can make a difference in how we raise our children, but when they're in the atmosphere that everyone is special and amazing, without doing anything, we are breeding a generation of people who expect everything for nothing.  I'm petrified for the world when Gen Y takes over.  Most of these children haven't worked for anything.  They haven't been taught anything.  Again, that is our fault.

This leads me to my next point.  It's bad enough we live in a noncompetitive world.  Everyone plays etc.  (That's fine in Kindergarten through 2nd grade, after that, there should be a reality check.)  Some people suck at sports.  Some of us suck at math.  Some people suck at art.   My point is all of us suck at something.  You have to first try it to find out, then take it like a trooper if it doesn't turn out for you.  This is learned behavior.  If you aren't good at this, try that.  You may like it, and, wow!  You're really good at it.  Sportsmanship is a learned behavior.  Now, we have parents acting like toddlers at their kids games, and yelling and actually fighting in front of the kids.  So now, in addition to having everything handed to you, throw a fit if it isn't.  It's okay.  Mom does.

This politically correct, everyone is a champion behavior looks good on paper.  However, I think now we are starting to see that raising a generation of spoiled brats wasn't such a good idea!  We start the spankings with Mom and Dad.