Should children always get a reward?
The issue of kids always receiving a trophy and not really working hard for it is becoming a noticeable problem. Yes I think that not everyone should get a trophy but if this is the first time that the kid is playing a sport and they have no idea how to play they will be learning the game and should deserve a trophy.
Ashley Merryman is the author for New York times and she has no children, so I do not think that she has the point of view that I do. Merryman has two top selling books on the New York Times bestseller list. The books are “The Science of Winning and Losing” and “Among the Critical Raves.” Merryman is an advocate and tries to help us understand things on different topics. Merry says that “If children always receive a trophy – regardless of effort or achievement – we’re teaching kids that losing is so terrible and that we can never let it happen.”
In my honest opinion, it just depends on how old the kids are that we are talking about. If they are a certain age and younger I feel like the kids are still learning the game and do deserve a trophy, because they aren't really being competitive. When they are getting older they are learning more about the game and how to be competitive; at this point some kids that get first should get a nice size trophy and second and third should get medium size then other teams should get medals. No matter what happens teams should get a reward for their hard work.
Age plays a big part in participation, trophies, and awards. When children are young, they are still learning a game. When they get older they will be able to start becoming competitive.
Merryman argues that “If children always receive a trophy – regardless of effort or achievement – we’re teaching kids that losing is so terrible that we can never let it happen” (Merryman)
I disagree with what she is saying, because for young athletes they are just learning the game and trying to be competitive and a trophy is a reward for their hard work not because they win or lost the game. I feel like it is almost at any level of sports that players get a reward it might not always be a trophy but they will get a reward. Forget Trophies, Let Kids Know It’s O.K. to Lose
In my opinion the only way you will be able to resolve this situation is to have two different leagues, and if you want your children to get a trophy then put them in the first league. If you want your child to be competitive and earn the trophy via competition, then take your child to the second league.
My viewpoint on this issue is that the kids should get trophies and feel good about themselves.
