Trophy? Medal? None?

I think that if you take away all disappointment from kids that it's possible they will not understand disappointment when they get into the adult world. We all have disappointments in our lives and we have learned to deal with them and move on. So if they don't deserve it they shouldn't receive it. Simply my opinion.

I think it's ridiculous - how are they going to learn to take the inevitable knocks of life when they are adults? It's important to learn how to lose.

I do think children had worked so hard to earn a reward. It is starting point where they can be trained to be competitive in a friendly way.

At that age, winning or losing shouldn't be a bit issue.

One of our top schools now prepares students for failure and disappointments by making it much less easy for them to get top marks. The world isn't fair and at some point children need to learn that you can't always have things handed to you on a plate. Certainly tae kwon do belts shouldn't be handed out unless the child can meet the requirements. Just my take on it...:)

We live in too much of a touchy feely world that is ill preparing children for the harsh realities of life. You don't get a paycheck just for existing. It has to be earned.

Rewarding all children for participation doesn't teach children how to loose. We can't always win, even when we try our best and children should be prepared for those times. When I grew up everyone didn't receive an award or a ribbon or a belt, etc... The winners and the champions received an award, the rest of us didn't and I think we were better prepared for life. I have no ill feelings about where I stood in competitions, I was rewarded appropriately. I think we have to much coddling and politically correctness in the world, people are over sensitive about everything. Of course that's just my 2 cents worth!

Children should understand that this world is competitive world and they will have to carve out their niche to succeed in life. If in an event everyone is awarded a medal just for participation, the kids will not learn the importance of number one, two or three. I remember an incident. My son was in Nursery class. When the results of final exams (whatever was the level at Nursery) were declared he did not get any award/prize, but his close friends who stood first, second or third received the prize. When we went to fetch the result and he came to know that he stood nowhere in the class, he cried like he had lost the world and kept crying for a long time. It was so much and so that we had to request the class teacher that you could give him a pencil just to encourage him that he also performed well in his exams. However, it seems that incident left an indelible impression on his mind and he started working harder in his studies and thereafter, he never looked back. He used to be at first or second position in his each and every class.

This is how it is with the tae kwon do competitions we go to - everyone wins a medal. "They" tell us it's all about the experience of competition . . . but many of us parents have discussed it's another way for them to reel in more money from us. The kids end up knowing they will bring home "something" regardless of how they do (which may not make them try their absolute best in later competitions) and they don't think harder about how to do things better next time. There's more to it, but we are DONE with these competitions - there is one coming up next month and we refuse to go.

It is a good thing to have them earned not given. Me as a fighter becoming skilled and earning your belts is more honorable. With the skills you learn they can save your life one day, you can be given a belt, That is like a black belt is given to you then you end up getting your butt kicked.

I think anyone who. Has watched American idol tryouts has seen what happens when parents don't let their children fail and give them unrealistic expectations of their talent. I think we need to earn rewards or they are meaningless.

I remember when our son was growing up, and I know now with my nephews, they recognize this and they don't want to be a part of something that is not truly testing their skills. Part of life is being unsuccessful, and kids need to learn that early on.

In one of the school dramas, I was given a big part before it was taken away from me and given to another girl more suited for the role. I was hugely upset and vented to my Ma a lot. Her response was "unfortunately that's what happens in life sometimes. you will need to resolve this yourself. you can either speak to the teacher about this. Or just accept the change". I was too chicken to do anything. So I accepted the situation as it was. But I was still miserable and continue to rant to my Ma, she then said "well if it bothers you that much, you should speak to the teacher." I did end up speaking to the teacher about it, but it was too late to make the change. So I was stuck with the minor part. But that situation did teach me one thing, you ain't always gonna get the medals, or the encouragement, or the prize you think you're entitled to. But it doesn't mean you're powerless to do something about it. I think giving out medals randomly is not a form of encouragement, it actually undervalues the point of prize, or the spirit of competition. Encouragement comes in many different forms, allowing the children a fair chance to compete maybe the best encouragement of all.

I think there should be some kind of reward for participating but greater rewards for actually earning something or accomplishing something.

I think kids learn more by having to take a few knock backs. It's how they practice for the grown up world.

I don't think everyone should get a medal it should be for the winners, maybe a ribbon for the ones that didn't win.It is a way to learn, you are not always going to win, and good for kids to understand this and congratulate the other winners. I know at a lot of the Karate competitions they do give everyone a trophy who participated, the winners get a bigger one. We have a race at the Oktoberfest, only the top 3 runners in each age category get a price, gold, silver, bronze.

I think everyone that takes part should win a medal but of course the winner should win a special gold medal.

It's a good idea to award every child because it inspires them to work harder and go ahead...but as the child grows he should understand the reality and practice harder to get rewarded....

Most private schools do that. During recognition days or moving up ceremonies, everyone gets to take a chance to go to the stage to receive a certificate for something- Most Lovable Student, Most Charming Smile, Most Perfect Hairstyle. The more the awards, the happier the parents.

I think that is a very good idea. It must be hard on children who work real hard, but don't quite reach the top, when only one person is rewarded.