[Tenchiro]

Should we let kids feel exclusion's sting?
Wednesday, August 9, 2006; Posted: 10:37 a.m. EDT (14:37 GMT)

Gone are the days when a kindergartner dropped a handful of party invites in the classroom cubbyholes of their closest buddies. Today, if anyone is excluded the invitations can't be handed out at school.

The idea that protecting kids from rejection is crucial to safeguarding their self-esteem has gained momentum in recent years.

Take Valentine's Day: At some schools, a second-grader can't offer paper valentines or heart-shaped candies to a short list of pals and secret crushes anymore. They give cards to everyone or no one at all.

Or sports: In many towns, scorekeeping no longer happens at soccer or softball games played by kids under 8 or 9. Win or lose, every player in the league gets a trophy at the season's end.

What these kids need is some BOMBARDMENT!

 

[Changleen]

Way to create generations of kids who 'can't imagine loosing', and can't deal with it either. Combined with the often fervent patriotism extolled by the right, that just makes for a great mix!

 

[reflux]

The world isn't a sugar-coated playground, and it shouldn't be like that in school.

I'm a firm believer that the concept of self-esteem is fundamentally flawed. You mean to tell me that everyone should feel good about themselves for no reason at all? Hell no. If I don't study for a test and fail, self-esteem principles tell me that I should still feel good about myself? Crap, I say. We should teach kids that trying hard and maintaining a degree of optimism should be rewarded.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

I've said it once....I'll say it again...(slightly different context this time though...):

Complacency and cow-towing to the lowest common denominator makes me want to punch infants and vomit on hookers.

 

[kidwoo]

The world isn't a sugar-coated playground, and it shouldn't be like that in school.

Actually that's exactly what my elementary school was like. Bunch a lollipop sucking sticky hand bastards all over the monkey bars.



Either that or snot. Either way it was definitely candy coated too.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Isn't this where liberals come from?

 

[jaydee]

Isn't this where liberals come from?

Yes, in much the same way that republicans come from trailer parks where their mothers are also their aunts.

 

[stevew]

Yes, in much the same way that republicans come from trailer parks where their mothers are also their aunts.

You should check out a union hall sometime....

 

[jaydee]

You should check out a union hall sometime....

I hear ya on that one.

 

[stevew]

I hear ya on that one.

The democrats base that is asked to stay at the back of the bus...