Sesame Street Values - (Winning is Secondary) (1 Viewer)

[DCThunder]

When Lightning McQueen went back to help the King, allowing Chick Hicks to cross first and win the Piston Cup, everyone could see what happened and McQueen's sportsmanship paid immediate dividends. The crowd was hostile to Hicks, never accepting him as the true Champion as they all saw what he did to the King and knew that McQueen could easily have won. McQueen got the Dinaco sponsorship offer anyway, although in the end he stayed with Rust-Eze out of loyalty, since they had supported him for so long. He got Sally in the end as well, and experienced great success setting up shop in a rejuvenated Radiator Springs.

Didn't this need a spoiler tag? Not everyone has seen this cinematic classic.

 

[Cjw_55106]

If you are doing it right, you wouldnt even noticed the guy in the lane next to you fell down.

 

[pantagrapher]

All of your trophies are going to end up in a landfill someday.

Future person 1: "This trophy just says 'participant.'"

Future Person 2: "lol"

 

[mr roboto]

I am not advocating that every kid gets a medal and is told that they're graded everything. But there is a big difference between the everyone gets a medal theory and the survival of the fittest theory.

I agree with this, but feel as a society we are moving in the direction of the participation trophy mentality more and more...

As a society yes. You are right. I don't think the Elmo example is nearly the most egregious example. The way you've defined 'success' in this thread is a certain personality type. Type A extrovert. If your kid is artistic or introverted and you think that in order for him to 'be successful' he needs to be a vocal achiever who leads others and is up front, you will greatly damage the kid.

I hate the 'wussification' of the new theories on self esteem, participation etc. But the sense I'm getting from you here (and correct me if I'm wrong) is that you personally take pride in achievement and competition is an avenue to test your own skill and the main goal is winning. You are probably motivated primarily by achievement a d recognition. That's a SPECIFIC PERSONALITY TRAIT not a universal ethic to be used as a yardstick to measure others.

I have very little time but I'm gonna write up some more thoughts on this tonight. I would encourage you to look into personality types and profiles and make damn sure you aren't applying a rubric on your kid that doesn't match his innate personality.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

When Lightning McQueen went back to help the King, allowing Chick Hicks to cross first and win the Piston Cup, everyone could see what happened and McQueen's sportsmanship paid immediate dividends. The crowd was hostile to Hicks, never accepting him as the true Champion as they all saw what he did to the King and knew that McQueen could easily have won. McQueen got the Dinaco sponsorship offer anyway, although in the end he stayed with Rust-Eze out of loyalty, since they had supported him for so long. He got Sally in the end as well, and experienced great success setting up shop in a rejuvenated Radiator Springs.

Didn't this need a spoiler tag? Not everyone has seen this cinematic classic.

I don't care about any of those people, I'm trying to win this thread and I got 2 likes for that post. Elmo would probably go back and spoiler tag it, but we know he's a loser.

 

[DCThunder]

When Lightning McQueen went back to help the King, allowing Chick Hicks to cross first and win the Piston Cup, everyone could see what happened and McQueen's sportsmanship paid immediate dividends. The crowd was hostile to Hicks, never accepting him as the true Champion as they all saw what he did to the King and knew that McQueen could easily have won. McQueen got the Dinaco sponsorship offer anyway, although in the end he stayed with Rust-Eze out of loyalty, since they had supported him for so long. He got Sally in the end as well, and experienced great success setting up shop in a rejuvenated Radiator Springs.

Didn't this need a spoiler tag? Not everyone has seen this cinematic classic.

I don't care about any of those people, I'm trying to win this thread and I got 2 likes for that post. Elmo would probably go back and spoiler tag it, but we know he's a loser.

Heh. And I gave you another "like". You win!

 

[Good Posting Judge]

I am not advocating that every kid gets a medal and is told that they're graded everything. But there is a big difference between the everyone gets a medal theory and the survival of the fittest theory.

I agree with this, but feel as a society we are moving in the direction of the participation trophy mentality more and more...

Yes, God forbid we make a child who isn't particularly athletic/intelligent/whatever feel good about themselves for something that they really don't have much control over.

Parts of life are competitive, not all of it.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

And Lombardi Dads are worse than hippy-dippy "we don't keep score" types.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Where can I get info on appropriate PED doses for 10 year-olds? My son is a great soccer player, but no matter how hard I push him in the gym he just can't bulk up. Skinny arms, needs more speed, and really can't afford to miss any games this winter indoor session due to nagging injuries, or some other kid will take his spot.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

If my kid can't throw a perfect spiral at least 20 yards by the time he's 10, I'm going to drop him off at the fire station.

 

[TenTimes]

If on the next Sesame Street ELMO starts gleaning pride from the accomplishments of his neighbors, it's time to shut it off.

 

[Cliff Clavin]

My daughter is 9 months old and not walking yet. One of the kids at her daycare is the same age and is walking already. Time to tell her she is a failure?

 

[Apple Jack]

Not so much the participation trophy as let's try to raise fewer myopic people who equate money with success and finishing first with winning.

 

[Quez]

My daughter is 9 months old and not walking yet. One of the kids at her daycare is the same age and is walking already. Time to tell her she is a failure?

How fast can she crawl?

 

[Cliff Clavin]

My daughter is 9 months old and not walking yet. One of the kids at her daycare is the same age and is walking already. Time to tell her she is a failure?

How fast can she crawl?

Not nearly as fast as me.

 

[sartre]

The golden shoes... look at them glllooowww

Thanks for putting that in my head again. I saw the segment a few times but not in the last couple months. I don't recall having the same response as you, but I can understand it.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse has something along these lines that really bugs me though. In many of the episodes, Pete is a big d-bag to Mickey and pals. He shows up along their path and says they owe him some toll to continue. Mickey and company go out of their way to oblige and get whatever it is Pete has no right to demand. Then they make an effort to befriend him. To me it is excessively "turn the other cheek". I get teaching kids not to be confrontational, but teaching them to continually roll over is also detrimental IMO.

 

[Black Box]

My daughter is 9 months old and not walking yet. One of the kids at her daycare is the same age and is walking already. Time to tell her she is a failure?

Has this other kid stopped to help your daughter to walk? If not, maybe this other kid needs to watch more Elmo.

 

[bigbottom]

Wouldn't the first example be more of an commentary on not taking a cheap victory? It's not like he let the guy win to feel good.....Elmo didn't want his glory sullied by some inanimate hurdle;.....his leniency just ended up biting him in the ###.

Elmo stated:

Elmo can win the race, but so and so is down, what should I do? I need to help him... Then he was happy for the puppet who won.

The premise as I saw it was winning is secondary, being a good sport is primary.

Yes. Which is not at odds with 'try your hardest to win.' If you think it's is, you are too competitive IMO.I want my kids to know that first priority is hard ethical work. Not winning. Winning isn't the most important and shouldn't be in life. Maybe in HS football but that's not real life anyway.

Everyone hates the 'win at all costs' dic bag at the office or on the freeway.

Here is where we may disagree or we could just be putting the word winning in different contexts.

I think competition is extremely important in improving yourself. Nobody will ever be the best at anything they do, there will always be someone who can do whatever it is you do better (unless you are that 1 in 6 billion). However, striving to be the very best at whatever you are an expert at (whether it be basketball, baseball, debate club, chess club, or competitive eating) is very important. Just being a participant won't get you anywhere in life.

I don't understand how the Elmo race story is "anti-competition" or a lesson that "just being a participant" is good enough. It is a lesson about sportsmanship within the context of competition. If anything, it is a lesson about being exceptional rather than unexceptional.

 

[Hilts]

I am not advocating that every kid gets a medal and is told that they're graded everything. But there is a big difference between the everyone gets a medal theory and the survival of the fittest theory.

I agree with this, but feel as a society we are moving in the direction of the participation trophy mentality more and more...

I agree it's a problem. Society is much better off when you can start 'separating the herd' sooner rather than later. Some kids are just made to be losers. It's tough to accept that, but the sooner they realize it, the better off we'll all be.

 

[bigbottom]

I am not advocating that every kid gets a medal and is told that they're graded everything. But there is a big difference between the everyone gets a medal theory and the survival of the fittest theory.

I agree with this, but feel as a society we are moving in the direction of the participation trophy mentality more and more...

I disagree. I feel that things are hyper-competitive in youth sports today, as well as in other areas such as academics, far more so than when I was a kid. Back in the day, we played a game, win or lose, our parents didn't really give a crap and we went and got pizza. These days, parents are keeping game stats for seven-year-olds and hiring professional trainers. It's insane.

 

[cstu]

Top 5 Regrets of the Dying

Don’t wait until your health fails before living the life you want to live

by Bronnie Ware, AARP, February 1, 2012

For many years I worked in palliative care. My patients were those who had gone home to die. Some incredibly special times were shared. I was with them for the last three to 12 weeks of their lives.

People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality. I learned never to underestimate someone's capacity for growth.

Some changes were phenomenal. Each experienced a variety of emotions, as expected: denial, fear, anger, remorse, more denial and eventually acceptance. Yet every single patient found peace before departing. Every one of them.

When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently, common themes surfaced. Here are the most common five:

Related

1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people have not honored even half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they’d made, or not made.

It’s important to try to honor at least some of your dreams along the way. It’s too late once you lose your health. Health brings a freedom very few realize, until they no longer have it.

2. I wish I didn't work so hard.

This came from every male patient I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.

By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.

3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.

Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.

We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

Often they would not truly realize the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks, and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.

It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks: love and relationships.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realize until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called comfort of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to themselves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.

When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.

Not one is "I wish I would have competed harder".

 

[Parrothead]

I know I would kick Elmo's furry little red ### in a race..

because he's a ####### Muppet

 

[mr roboto]

The goal of a parent iMO is to raise a child into an adult. This includes instruction on proper food, exercise, morality, work ethic, financial truths, personal skills etc. Lots of facets of helping your kid become healthy, productive, loving, respectful etc.

But your kid is not a blank slate. Forget nature vs nurture arguments for a second - your kid is a unique set of traits and is set into a unique context (family, country, community). In short, little FC42 or roboto or EG or whoever needs different things at different times.

The problem is the parents are also unique people but their uniqueness is already basically hard baked. As adults we've adapted values and priorities from our own set of unique traits and circumstances. We are not completely flexible and objective.

When you have a kid you learn a lot about yourself. Values that were innate within you become explicit in the way you raise your kids. Sometimes you absolutely know that you DO NOT want to pass on certain traits (I'm a procrastinator and tend to have my head in the clouds). But often the traits we are the MOST proud of in ourselves go into our parenting completely unchecked. These values may be good or neutral on their own merit - but they may be very negative to instill when placed upon our unique children.

In another post I'm going to ramble on about a theory I have about pride and judgementalism. I've been reflecting on this for some time and maybe it's complete bull#### and if so I want to know. It may even become a separate thread.

 

[cstu]

In another post I'm going to ramble on about a theory I have about pride and judgementalism. I've been reflecting on this for some time and maybe it's complete bull#### and if so I want to know. It may even become a separate thread.

 

[Todem]

If your competing in a hurdle race and your competition falls. You finish the race then see if he is OK after you complete your goal. Which is to win (Would anyone in the Olympics ever stop and do this? Of course not).

That is sportsmanship.

After you win or lose you congratulate your competition. That is sportsmanship.

Not everyone get's a trophy. You gotta earn it. We teach our boys (I coach a highly competitive travel baseball team) win with humility and lose gracefully. No show boating, no hot-dogging and no sore loser antics. Otherwise your gone. You win some you lose some. Act like you have been there before. If you win it all...then celebrate like it's 1999. You earned that right.

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

Where can I get info on appropriate PED doses for 10 year-olds? My son is a great soccer player, but no matter how hard I push him in the gym he just can't bulk up. Skinny arms, needs more speed, and really can't afford to miss any games this winter indoor session due to nagging injuries, or some other kid will take his spot.

Pay somebody at the zoo to collect the urine from the male silverback gorilla. This person has to be trustworthy, no female gorilla urine, or any urine from other animals. Freeze it to preserve freshness. Feel free to add a kiwi for flavoring.

Now, wait until the Whitetails in your area are about to shed their velvet for the year. Collect it. You may actually substitute moose or elk velvet. You want it fresh, still full of capillaries with some blood yet. Better to harvest it from the live animal, if you can, than to wait for it to be sloughed off.

Combine one cup gorilla pee with two cups tightly packed velvet. Add 2 stalks rhubarb, a cup of cranberries. Cover and put on low boil for 20 minutes. remove from heat, allow to cool, blend in a food processer on high for 1 minute, strain. once cool you may add sugar to taste, but never before or during boiling. Drink 6 ounces each morning for breakfast until the mixture is gone. The breakfast consist of three ounces of smoked salmon, three ounces of raw tenderloin, half a hard boiled egg-albumin only-, 3 ounces of an active culture yogurt alternated with small bowl of Grape Nuts and a small amount of steel cut oats. The only other beverage should be water, as much as he can tolerate.

The yield here should be four, maybe five doses. Never any more in a cycle. Cycles should be no more than twice a year until puberty. After puberty I suggest the extract from the pineal gland of any frozen, male gigantopithecus you can locate. PM me for instruction on how to make the extraction

 

[Hilts]

If your competing in a hurdle race and your competition falls. You finish the race then see if he is OK after you complete your goal. Which is to win (Would anyone in the Olympics ever stop and do this? Of course not).

That is sportsmanship.

After you win or lose you congratulate your competition. That is sportsmanship.

Not everyone get's a trophy. You gotta earn it. We teach our boys (I coach a highly competitive travel baseball team) win with humility and lose gracefully. No show boating, no hot-dogging and no sore loser antics. Otherwise your gone. You win some you lose some. Act like you have been there before. If you win it all...then celebrate like it's 1999. You earned that right.

How old are the boys you teach?

 

[Todem]

I am not advocating that every kid gets a medal and is told that they're graded everything. But there is a big difference between the everyone gets a medal theory and the survival of the fittest theory.

I agree with this, but feel as a society we are moving in the direction of the participation trophy mentality more and more...

I disagree. I feel that things are hyper-competitive in youth sports today, as well as in other areas such as academics, far more so than when I was a kid. Back in the day, we played a game, win or lose, our parents didn't really give a crap and we went and got pizza. These days, parents are keeping game stats for seven-year-olds and hiring professional trainers. It's insane.

Agreed. I live in the world of travel baseball. 10 year old's to be exact. it is crazy the things I see and hear. We are competitive but we are teaching and coaching our kids the right way. Unlike some other teams we face, we make sure our boys are having a lot of fun first and foremost and we harbor the love of baseball first and foremost. We lost in the playoffs this fall in a tough 1 run game but we told our kids we could not be prouder of them this past season. We know how hard they work and tell them how proud we are all the time. We also told them to use this loss as motivation for next season. remember the little things we did not do to win that game as a team. And come back stronger. There can only be one team left in the end so everyone is going home disappointed except one team.

But parents are the toughest to deal with. We had to cut loose a kid who was a good ball player, but his father was out of line and too much to deal with. It's a shame. Because we loved the kid. But his father would not let up in the stands, would not let up with demanding positions etc etc. It was nuts. And it won't be the last time I deal with these issues as a coach.

 

[Todem]

If your competing in a hurdle race and your competition falls. You finish the race then see if he is OK after you complete your goal. Which is to win (Would anyone in the Olympics ever stop and do this? Of course not).

That is sportsmanship.

After you win or lose you congratulate your competition. That is sportsmanship.

Not everyone get's a trophy. You gotta earn it. We teach our boys (I coach a highly competitive travel baseball team) win with humility and lose gracefully. No show boating, no hot-dogging and no sore loser antics. Otherwise your gone. You win some you lose some. Act like you have been there before. If you win it all...then celebrate like it's 1999. You earned that right.

How old are the boys you teach?

10 year old's. So they are done with tee ball and coach pitch and are in the second season of kids pitch. It's a joy coaching and teaching kids this age. And it's a lot for them in travel as they play with a 46 foot mound and 65 foot bases and there is leading and stealing.

When I was 10 it was traditional little league rules like you see in the Little League World Series. So these kids are doing a lot. But you would be amazed how well they play for their age. Just amazed. It's a joy to watch. And they love it.

And it's not for every 10 year old.

 

[AAABatteries]

http://static.mybs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/katy-perry-elmo.gif

 

[SacramentoBob]

Wouldn't the first example be more of an commentary on not taking a cheap victory? It's not like he let the guy win to feel good.....Elmo didn't want his glory sullied by some inanimate hurdle;.....his leniency just ended up biting him in the ###.

The hurdles are part of the competition.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

If your competing in a hurdle race and your competition falls. You finish the race then see if he is OK after you complete your goal. Which is to win (Would anyone in the Olympics ever stop and do this? Of course not).

That is sportsmanship.

After you win or lose you congratulate your competition. That is sportsmanship.

Not everyone get's a trophy. You gotta earn it. We teach our boys (I coach a highly competitive travel baseball team) win with humility and lose gracefully. No show boating, no hot-dogging and no sore loser antics. Otherwise your gone. You win some you lose some. Act like you have been there before. If you win it all...then celebrate like it's 1999. You earned that right.

Children are not Olympians.

Work on teaching your children correct grammar, the competitiveness part comes naturally.

 

[Henry Ford]

Where can I get info on appropriate PED doses for 10 year-olds? My son is a great soccer player, but no matter how hard I push him in the gym he just can't bulk up. Skinny arms, needs more speed, and really can't afford to miss any games this winter indoor session due to nagging injuries, or some other kid will take his spot.

Pay somebody at the zoo to collect the urine from the male silverback gorilla. This person has to be trustworthy, no female gorilla urine, or any urine from other animals. Freeze it to preserve freshness. Feel free to add a kiwi for flavoring.

Now, wait until the Whitetails in your area are about to shed their velvet for the year. Collect it. You may actually substitute moose or elk velvet. You want it fresh, still full of capillaries with some blood yet. Better to harvest it from the live animal, if you can, than to wait for it to be sloughed off.

Combine one cup gorilla pee with two cups tightly packed velvet. Add 2 stalks rhubarb, a cup of cranberries. Cover and put on low boil for 20 minutes. remove from heat, allow to cool, blend in a food processer on high for 1 minute, strain. once cool you may add sugar to taste, but never before or during boiling. Drink 6 ounces each morning for breakfast until the mixture is gone which should consist of three ounces of smoked salmon, three ounces of raw tenderloin, half a hard boiled egg-albumin only-, 3 ounces of an active culture yogurt alternated with small bowl of Grape Nuts and a small amount of steel cut oats. The only other beverage should be water, as much as he can tolerate.

The yield here should be four, maybe five doses. Never any more in a cycle. Cycles should be no more than twice a year until puberty. After puberty I suggest the extract from the pineal gland of any frozen, male gigantopithecus you can locate. PM me for instruction on how to make the extraction

This is ridiculous. Where the #### am I going to get kiwi in South Louisiana?

 

[MikeMan]

At the demographic ages intended for Sesame Street (preschool through early elementary?), I agree with their teachings. At that age it should be about learning the games, some basic techniques, and having fun. Everyone should get a medal and a ribbon. When a 5 year old gets a prize, they want to do it again. It is positive reinforcement and hopefully emboldens them to keep learning and trying at that particular sport. As they get older, the competitiveness will come.

I would love to see my 6 year old stop and help someone in the middle of the race at her Jr Track Meet. I would be proud.

I do not want my teenage daughter to stop and help someone in her race. Check on her afterwards.

 

[Thunderlips]

Wouldn't the first example be more of an commentary on not taking a cheap victory? It's not like he let the guy win to feel good.....Elmo didn't want his glory sullied by some inanimate hurdle;.....his leniency just ended up biting him in the ###.

The hurdles are part of the competition.

They're still inanimate, Brah.

 

[Todem]

If your competing in a hurdle race and your competition falls. You finish the race then see if he is OK after you complete your goal. Which is to win (Would anyone in the Olympics ever stop and do this? Of course not).

That is sportsmanship.

After you win or lose you congratulate your competition. That is sportsmanship.

Not everyone get's a trophy. You gotta earn it. We teach our boys (I coach a highly competitive travel baseball team) win with humility and lose gracefully. No show boating, no hot-dogging and no sore loser antics. Otherwise your gone. You win some you lose some. Act like you have been there before. If you win it all...then celebrate like it's 1999. You earned that right.

Children are not Olympians.

Work on teaching your children correct grammar, the competitiveness part comes naturally.

Oh here come the grammar nazi's. Got to love them on public message boards.

Putz.

 

[AcerFC]

I bet fantasycurse hates it when the kid with down syndrome gets to score a basket or a TD.

 

[McGarnicle]

At the demographic ages intended for Sesame Street (preschool through early elementary?), I agree with their teachings. At that age it should be about learning the games, some basic techniques, and having fun. Everyone should get a medal and a ribbon. When a 5 year old gets a prize, they want to do it again. It is positive reinforcement and hopefully emboldens them to keep learning and trying at that particular sport. As they get older, the competitiveness will come.

I would love to see my 6 year old stop and help someone in the middle of the race at her Jr Track Meet. I would be proud.

I do not want my teenage daughter to stop and help someone in her race. Check on her afterwards.

This mentality is the reason we have to import engineers from India.We've lost our way as a nation. :(

 

[Henry Ford]

If your competing in a hurdle race and your competition falls. You finish the race then see if he is OK after you complete your goal. Which is to win (Would anyone in the Olympics ever stop and do this? Of course not).

That is sportsmanship.

After you win or lose you congratulate your competition. That is sportsmanship.

Not everyone get's a trophy. You gotta earn it. We teach our boys (I coach a highly competitive travel baseball team) win with humility and lose gracefully. No show boating, no hot-dogging and no sore loser antics. Otherwise your gone. You win some you lose some. Act like you have been there before. If you win it all...then celebrate like it's 1999. You earned that right.

Children are not Olympians.

Work on teaching your children correct grammar, the competitiveness part comes naturally.

Oh here come the grammar nazi's. Got to love them on public message boards.

Putz.

Grammar Nazi's what?

 

[Hilts]

If your competing in a hurdle race and your competition falls. You finish the race then see if he is OK after you complete your goal. Which is to win (Would anyone in the Olympics ever stop and do this? Of course not).

That is sportsmanship.

After you win or lose you congratulate your competition. That is sportsmanship.

Not everyone get's a trophy. You gotta earn it. We teach our boys (I coach a highly competitive travel baseball team) win with humility and lose gracefully. No show boating, no hot-dogging and no sore loser antics. Otherwise your gone. You win some you lose some. Act like you have been there before. If you win it all...then celebrate like it's 1999. You earned that right.

Children are not Olympians.

Work on teaching your children correct grammar, the competitiveness part comes naturally.

Oh here come the grammar nazi's. Got to love them on public message boards.

Putz.

I don't understand this. It's okay to want to be the best at baseball for a ten year old, but calling you out on your poor grammar is met with being called a grammar nazi?

Should you only be the best you can be when it comes to hitting, but when it comes to writing it's sort of...eh, who cares?

 

[mr roboto]

I bet fantasycurse hates it when the kid with down syndrome gets to score a basket or a TD.

Bad beat /Dentist

 

[CletiusMaximus]

If your competing in a hurdle race and your competition falls. You finish the race then see if he is OK after you complete your goal. Which is to win (Would anyone in the Olympics ever stop and do this? Of course not).

That is sportsmanship.

After you win or lose you congratulate your competition. That is sportsmanship.

Not everyone get's a trophy. You gotta earn it. We teach our boys (I coach a highly competitive travel baseball team) win with humility and lose gracefully. No show boating, no hot-dogging and no sore loser antics. Otherwise your gone. You win some you lose some. Act like you have been there before. If you win it all...then celebrate like it's 1999. You earned that right.

Children are not Olympians.

Work on teaching your children correct grammar, the competitiveness part comes naturally.

Oh here come the grammar nazi's. Got to love them on public message boards.

Putz.

Superfluous apostrophes or participation trophies, which is worse for our kids?

 

[Gr00vus]

At the demographic ages intended for Sesame Street (preschool through early elementary?), I agree with their teachings. At that age it should be about learning the games, some basic techniques, and having fun. Everyone should get a medal and a ribbon. When a 5 year old gets a prize, they want to do it again. It is positive reinforcement and hopefully emboldens them to keep learning and trying at that particular sport. As they get older, the competitiveness will come.

I would love to see my 6 year old stop and help someone in the middle of the race at her Jr Track Meet. I would be proud.

I do not want my teenage daughter to stop and help someone in her race. Check on her afterwards.

This mentality is the reason we have to import engineers from India.We've lost our way as a nation. :(

Actually, it's the win at all costs mentality that is the reason we import engineers from India. There are plenty of qualified engineers in the U.S. already. CEOs just don't want to pay U.S. wages for them, allow them to move jobs when they want, etc. So they lie about the U.S. workforce and whine to get more H1Bs so they can pay them less and treat them like indentured servants in order to make a couple more fractions of a cent per unit and ship the extra profits to their offshore accounts.

Winning!

 

[Gary Coal Man]

Wouldn't the first example be more of an commentary on not taking a cheap victory? It's not like he let the guy win to feel good.....Elmo didn't want his glory sullied by some inanimate hurdle;.....his leniency just ended up biting him in the ###.

What's cheap about beating a hurdler who fell down or got slowed down because he clipped a hurdle? That's part of the sport. It happens all the time, even on the Olympic level.

 

[Peyton Marino]

I am not advocating that every kid gets a medal and is told that they're graded everything. But there is a big difference between the everyone gets a medal theory and the survival of the fittest theory.

I agree with this, but feel as a society we are moving in the direction of the participation trophy mentality more and more...

Yes, God forbid we make a child who isn't particularly athletic/intelligent/whatever feel good about themselves for something that they really don't have much control over.

Parts of life are competitive, not all of it.

this is pretty rich coming from someone who severed a dude's arm on a free kick in rec league soccer.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

If your competing in a hurdle race and your competition falls. You finish the race then see if he is OK after you complete your goal. Which is to win (Would anyone in the Olympics ever stop and do this? Of course not).

That is sportsmanship.

After you win or lose you congratulate your competition. That is sportsmanship.

Not everyone get's a trophy. You gotta earn it. We teach our boys (I coach a highly competitive travel baseball team) win with humility and lose gracefully. No show boating, no hot-dogging and no sore loser antics. Otherwise your gone. You win some you lose some. Act like you have been there before. If you win it all...then celebrate like it's 1999. You earned that right.

Children are not Olympians.

Work on teaching your children correct grammar, the competitiveness part comes naturally.

Oh here come the grammar nazi's. Got to love them on public message boards.

Putz.

No sore loser antics, dude.

 

[Hilts]

If your competing in a hurdle race and your competition falls. You finish the race then see if he is OK after you complete your goal. Which is to win (Would anyone in the Olympics ever stop and do this? Of course not).

That is sportsmanship.

After you win or lose you congratulate your competition. That is sportsmanship.

Not everyone get's a trophy. You gotta earn it. We teach our boys (I coach a highly competitive travel baseball team) win with humility and lose gracefully. No show boating, no hot-dogging and no sore loser antics. Otherwise your gone. You win some you lose some. Act like you have been there before. If you win it all...then celebrate like it's 1999. You earned that right.

Children are not Olympians.

Work on teaching your children correct grammar, the competitiveness part comes naturally.

Oh here come the grammar nazi's. Got to love them on public message boards.

Putz.

I don't understand this. It's okay to want to be the best at baseball for a ten year old, but calling you out on your poor grammar is met with being called a grammar nazi?

Should you only be the best you can be when it comes to hitting, but when it comes to writing it's sort of...eh, who cares?

Going one step further, shouldn't you actively try improving your grammar? Wouldn't that teach your kid a very powerful message about sticking with something, no matter how hard, and no matter how old you are, and always try to be the best you can be, both on and off the field?

 

[Good Posting Judge]

I am not advocating that every kid gets a medal and is told that they're graded everything. But there is a big difference between the everyone gets a medal theory and the survival of the fittest theory.

I agree with this, but feel as a society we are moving in the direction of the participation trophy mentality more and more...

Yes, God forbid we make a child who isn't particularly athletic/intelligent/whatever feel good about themselves for something that they really don't have much control over.

Parts of life are competitive, not all of it.

this is pretty rich coming from someone who severed a dude's arm on a free kick in rec league soccer.

I make everyone I play with sign a waiver now. We all learn from our mistakes.

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

Winning can be secondary in certain contexts, like regular-season MLB games. But not in hot potato! In hot potato, one must win at all costs!

 

[Gr00vus]

Winning can be secondary in certain contexts, like regular-season MLB games. But not in hot potato! In hot potato, one must win at all costs!

Actually, I think it's much more important to just not lose in that one.