Entitlement

Is it just me, or do you notice kids/young adults being rewarded for EVERYTHING?  To give you an idea of where I'm coming from, I'm 40 with 2 elementary aged children.  I watched a talk show recently where they were discussing this phenomenon, saying that the youth of today feels they are entitled to certain things, and it is because they have been taught that if you do something, no matter how small, you get a reward every time.  Otherwise, why bother doing it? 

I notice this with my own kids.  In their soccer program at the end of each season, everyone gets a trophy just for participating.  It doesn't matter if they lost every game or won every game.  The trophy is just expected, but does it really mean anything anymore?  Shpwing my age here, but when I was a kid, the trophy was a HUGE deal.  Not many got trophies...only the real winners.  It was something you really had to work hard as a team to get, not just show up at practice and be handed a trophy at the end of the season.  At school they even give the kids ice cream if they will sign up for programs like student council and class reporter. 

I'm 100% for encouraging kids and promoting good sportsmanship, learning how to lose and learning how to win.  Those are all important lessons in life.  What concerns me is that everywhere you look, there are rewards (bribes?) for the kids.  Volunteer for this, get that.  Sign up for this, get that.  What ever happened to just volunteering because it's the right thing to do, not because of some monetary or tangible reward to be had? 

Of course they are also witnessing the rewarding of corporate greed (banks and others), criminals, etc.  Where does it end?  

I'm afraid if society as a whole keeps this up, then our youth is going to have an extremely hard time in the workplace and with overall life issues.  

Thoughts?