Participation Backwards

Imagine you are a seven year old and your on the second grade basketball team. You tried your absolute very best to be excellent all season long and you never gave up when times got rough. Your excited to see all of your hadwork pay off. Then, at your ceremony award, you don’t get a trophy. But all of your other friends recieved trophys. How would you feel if you tried your hardest all season and didn’t get a reward? Although some people may argue that children need to learn that you don’t always win, it is evident that every child in elementary schools should get rewarded for their participation. First of all, participation trophies can boost a child’s self confidence. It can also build up their enthusiasm to come back for anoher season. Some participation trophies help to prevent a feeling of unworthiness upon a child. Feeling accomplished can help a child develop a trait of commitment and values. In the text, it argues that …show more content…
Giving trophies to only the winners doesn’t emphazise “enough of the other values that are important.” For example, hardwork, attitude, the quality of how they do things, how much passion they put towards it, etc. Learning teamwork skills can furthur help kids to develop an understanding about the values of honesty. In the future, teamwork can teach kids how to respect others.
However, some people argue that everything in life should be earned and that “efforts alone is not a cause for recognition.” Parents believe that if their child is handed a participation award every time they accomplish something, they will have a fixed mindset and expect themselves to be average. Although I somewhat believe this is true, children need to be praised for their good work and dedication they put forth into a certain task every once in a while. As children mature in life, participation awards may not be as valuable to the child. So, it is always good to savor your child’s