Ambition stealing from kids?

I am not sure about you but when I was growing up in the 70s/80s and played sports we got a trophy for winning etc not for just being on the team. Ok I admit I was only on one season of softball, but my brother and other friends were on plenty of sports teams.    I ran across this article How Adults are Stealing Ambition From Kids by Dr. Tim Elmore and found it very thought provoking.   I am curious what others think about it as well.    It does seem like you get a participation ribbon/trophy etc for just showing up and not being successful in the sport/class/activity.  The author asks the question “Are our kid’s ambitions being stolen?”   There are several excellent points on how this is the case in the article.

Reflect for a moment on the long-term impact of this kind of world. When a child gets to swing at a ball until he hits it (there are no strike outs), when coaches decide not to keep score (there are no losers), and when everyone gets an equal award in the end (we are all equal), it can begin to de-motivate kids, especially boys. It takes the steam out of their engine. They begin to think: Why try? I’m going get the same reward whether I put out any effort or not. And it’s easier…put out no effort.

This is not just about sports either. Adults so wanted these kids to feel special, we began to take away the possibility of failing a class. Students always seem to find a way to negotiate a grade or do some extra credit work to make up for failing to do what they’d been asked to do. Many parents have removed the possibility of failing at home; kids still get money or perks even if they failed to share the responsibilities around the house. As a result, college staff and faculty are reporting the comments that incoming students are making to them:

• Why didn’t I get an A? I showed up to class every day.
• You’re guaranteeing me a job once I graduate, right?
• OK…so I flunked the test. What do I need to do to get the grade I want?
• How come my suite mate got a scholarship and I didn’t?
• If my parents pay the tuition, I deserve the grades I want.
• I think the government’s job is to make sure I get a job and a house.
• You can’t criticize me. I tried.

– See more at: http://growingleaders.com/blog/how-adults-are-stealing-ambition-from-kids/#sthash.4FbA6b6H.dpuf

I know that some of the kids I have encountered in my nannying, have had these attitudes and don’t try because they will “pass” just for turning in the paper and not learning the proper math steps to solving the problem.  It really is “food for thought” while reading this article.

So what can we do to improve ambition in kids, the author shares a list of six ways to do so. Here is a sample of one of them.  Make sure to visit the article to get the rest of them as they are really good.

Here are some ideas for cultivating ambition in kids:

1. Let them fail, but when they do, interpret the failure with them.

Don’t rescue them, but if they fall or fail, talk it over. Show them it’s not the end of the world and is not a reflection on their identity. It is a chance to try again.

– See more at: http://growingleaders.com/blog/how-adults-are-stealing-ambition-from-kids/#sthash.4FbA6b6H.dpuf

I want to know how you feel about the article and the thought of adults stealing “ambition” from the kids of today.  Do you agree or disagree with the article?

To read the complete article please visit:

How Adults are Stealing Ambition From Kids

from Growing Leaders and Tim Elmore