Welcome to our Blog!

We hope you enjoy visiting our page. Feel free to leave your comments so we know you're out there.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Derby??

Tonight Chris took Noah to participate in his Boy Scouts' Pinewood Derby. Strangely, the leaders had decided not to make it a "competition", per se, because they didn't want anyone to feel bad about losing. I don't quite understand. It seems to me that in an attempt to protect our children from feeling the blow of failure, we are taking away from them the opportunity to learn how to deal with disappointment and become fair players. If we're constantly telling them how great they are, and giving out kudos left and right, regardless of how much they've worked for it or earned it, we aren't giving them much to motivate them to try harder or do better. Just my opinion...I'm not sure why I've been on my soapbox so much lately?
Anyway, Noah enjoyed himself because he got to be with his friends and play with cars. :)

5 comments:

Elizabeth Downie said...

I totally agree with what you said about protecting kids too much from being at all disappointed. I know someone who protects her son from the world so much that he gets upset and/or offended by just the slightest thing! It's funny how we're not that old (you and me) but things seem so different these days for kids.

That picture of Noah is really cute by the way! :)

Jennifer Groves said...

I completely agree with you about the whole competition thing. It drives me absolutely crazy. We are not doing our kids any favors by creating an environment that is equal on all grounds. Why are we becoming such a socialistic society! We are going to be raising a bunch of whiner adults who when things don't go their way they will say "that's not fair"! I will join you on your soap box, because I completely agree, and it sometimes makes me so angry! Anyway, as you can tell by this long post that it irritates me.
What's the motivation for doing a good job on your derby car if there are not winners or losers. UGH!!!

The Bowler Five said...

Nice looking car! I agree with you. I loved the pinewood derby when my brothers did it. I loved it when I was the primary counselor over cub scouts. What a great way for the boys and their dads (hopefully) to bond and work together.

Jeff Hansen said...

amen to that

Jennifx said...

David and I do scouts. We just had our pinewood derby. Noahs car looks pretty cool. i bet he was super excited! I know our boys couldn't wait.