Trophies for Dummies

By what guidelines do they form the rules?  It's like the youth sports teams where every member gets a trophy (just for playing?) when the team did not even do well.  It takes away all the meaning from winning something.  Unfortunately some parents do the same when they present siblings with gifts on another child's birthday.  I sympathize with you.

Janey, I too applaud the valuable lesson you taught your children (not to mention some other parents too hopefully). So much of our life, even our work life is aimed at not hurting someone's feelings. How will people manage when they face a real hardship? Loss of love, loss of a job, a catastrophic event or illness?

i've successfully avoided a required course called "positive management" for over a year now, because I believe it reinforces these false messages and works against real progress for individuals.

I do believe future generations will suffer from the mollycoddling.

Janey - this worries me - always have. So many people in the generations following us have such a sense of "entitlement" without work - but it is in the valleys of life that we learn and grow to become the children of God He intends us to be. I understand parents wanting to shield their children from pain but "growing pains" are necessary for all of us. How would we even know to go the doctor if we have no pain? Many die because they ignore it. Rewarding a child who deserves it and only that child ( this is just my opinion) is how it should be and it can encourage the others to strive to reach or break the others record. I applaude the stand you and your husband took. Oh, that other parents would do the same.