Participation metals have turned us all into lazy babies. These comforting awards have made us think that whatever we give is good enough.
The truth is, sometimes it isn't. Sometimes we have to learn to work hard and still lose! It starts when we are six years old and we have our first soccer game. No matter what we do on the field our supportive mom ignores the fact we kicked the ball in the wrong goal and says, "Good job honey, let's go get a Happy Meal." And in theory, that's great parenting and I am sure Dr.Phil would be proud. But that won't teach your us to be OK with loosing, how to give 110% and how kick the ball in the right direction because, if I get a juice box and a metal for sucking I am going to be perfectly OK with being lame for the rest of my life.
When we get into college the professors aren't going to care in the slightest bit if we tried hard on the test. If we don't make the grades we will fail. When we get in the work force and have a boss, if we don't do the job right and we don't bring money into the company they won't be happy. And then they'll yell at us. They won't high five us and buy we chicken nuggets because we don't deserve it. We will get the raise and the promotion when we get the job done or win the soccer game.
I compete in Taekwondo tournaments all around the country. When I loose, it's all my fault and my best wasn't good enough. If I don't keep my hands up and get off the line first I walk away with a black eye not a trophy that says "Your a Winner" or "You Tried Your Best". Hopefully this reality check will give me a boost in the real world.
So parents, coaches, and teacher, stop babying us. You're only teaching us to be OK with being terrible and we will lose at life because of this. If you keep telling us we are awesome when we are picking our nose on the basketball court how do you expect us to become NBA stars?
Now I must get back to watching "Smash" but try to say these three words three times fast out loud and not smile: bubbles, giggle, and hemorrhoids.
