Why won't they let my son win the egg and spoon race?

Daily Mail (UK) ^ | 16th July 2009 | Ursula Hirschkorn

[saquin]

The “everybody’s a winner” ethos has gotten out of control. Kids aren’t fools and they can see right through it. Who wants to compete if you can’t really “win”?

[foobarred]

My self esteem was not diminished when the team did well or one player was cheered to good pitching and so forth.

That's a great attitude, and the attitude that we should be teaching our kids. We should also be teaching our kids against resentment towards the winners. Resentment is the cancer that's killing our culture, and has resulted in some of the Marxist changes that is happening to our nation.

And, of course, as a winner, we should be teaching our kids to be humble and gracious. And if your kid is really are gifted at something, have him/her watch Searching for Bobby Fischer.

[KarlInOhio]

I saw a TV show once that was set in the near future. In this society every child was given a general intelligence test at the age of Thirteen. It centered around a young boy who loved science and to read. Come test day his parents took him to the government center for the test and he was given a drug that would not allow him to lie. Some time later his parents received a call saying he had passed the test...And where to claim his body.

It sounds like Examination Day from the 1985 Twilight Zone series. The original short story was by Henry Slesar.

[HIDEK6]

His face fell as he felt as if he was being reprimanded for celebrating his success.

The teacher should have told that to Obama who took a victory lap after rolling a baseball to just in front of home plate.

Or maybe the kid was white.

[peeps36]

They are trying to turn kids into non competitive and non judgmental wimps. Every kid wants to win but we can't all be winners. When you lost you kept your chin up because you knew you tried your best. Kids learn important lessons from winning and losing. Taking that away just prolongs the learning experience.

[mlizzy]

This crap happens in America too and at high school level. My daughter played water polo for four years, and by the fourth year, she and a few of her teammates (through outside coaching during off-season) became highly skilled players, but the high school coach during season demanded when they were ahead of the game that they sit down and let the bench play until the other girls caught up or came within one goal. He threw five or six games this season because of this cruel way of coaching and the starters who fought so very hard were left in tears, while the bench was as well because they were the reason they lost. My husband and daughter went in to complain to the athletic director about this and what happened? Well, my husband, who was a full-time substitute at the very same school (for the last four years) wasn’t called in again to teach. So the “coach who likes to lose” and likes to make girls cry is still running the squad and we are without an income. I hope things improve regarding water polo at college level for my daughter.

[Old Professer]

Everybody in a nuthouse has to wear a nametag; for the outsiders to tell them apart and for the insiders to remember who they are.

[madamemayhem]

evidently this family did not get the memo.... there can not be any “winner” because that would make others “losers” and we simply cannot tromp all over the “feelings” of those sensitive children whose egos cannot survive losing a stupid game/contest.

[Chode]

UNgland...

[IYAS9YAS]

I read the short story in the 5th grade. I understood its meaning then.

[JRandomFreeper]

only that they be left alone to exercise their special gifts to the benefit of all.

I'd pay good money just to be left alone to do what I do, and not be hobbled by government in the doing.

/johnny

[fr_freak]

the author shouldn’t bother complaining..the time to save her country is long past, the UK is already lost, and we are close on their heels...

Look, with all due respect, I am absolutely sick of seeing people say this. Nothing is over until we say it's over, so quit giving up so easily. The UK isn't lost. If even half of the heartland British decided that they've had enough of this socialist PC BS, they could retake the country TOMORROW, by force if necessary. The same is true of the US. We are actually in much better shape because we have more of an insulated heartland. The day that real Americans decide that enough is enough, we can end all of this BS immediately. The ONLY thing that can stop us is if people turn into gutless quitters.

[ironmaidenPR2717]

Do a search & read “Harrison Bergeron”, written by Kurt Vonnegut in 1961.

[tang-soo]

I saw a TV show once that was set in the near future. In this society every child was given a general intelligence test at the age of Thirteen. It centered around a young boy who loved science and to read. Come test day his parents took him to the government center for the test and he was given a drug that would not allow him to lie. Some time later his parents received a call saying he had passed the test...And where to claim his body.

For some reason I thouht this was Fred Savaga (Wonder Years). Apparently I was wrong.

The Twilight Zone: Examination Day/A Message from Charity (1985)

IMDB link is here.

[MaxMax]

Make him a Tee that shows an Egg in a spoon, First Place!
Then put a cross right up the middle. And on the back put the words,
Losers..

[BigCinBigD]

Yep fellows that was it. 1985? Strange what rattles around in the back of your brain.

[tang-soo]

I don’t remember what I had for lunch yesterday, but ...

[BigCinBigD]

don’t remember what I had for lunch yesterday, but

Memory is a funny thing. I will be somewhere and a smell will trigger memory's from childhood. The case of this youngster is typical liberal thinking. Everyone must be the same. Till One day when the real winners will put the real loser up against a wall.

[cricket]

Why, it is just mind-numbing; educational 'dumbing'; egalitarian, politically correct 'sheeple education'! The 'reason-capable' recognize this; the mind-numbed, useful idiots do not. You may well not have any inluence in positive 'change' at your son's school; but hope you celebrated his success, 'big time' after he got home. . .Don't let them ruin him! Let your hand; rock this boy's cradle!

Liberal orchestrations of the national psyche; it's culture; it's meeting in dismal unfoldings; disclose a 'collective conceit' of the worst measure; and it is all just too pathetic. . .

[To Hell With Poverty]

Wow, so sorry to hear that. The girls aught to gang up on him and shove him in the pool next time he throws a game!!!