Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Fail and Bail

Do you know that in my community, if you sign your children up for the park district for any specific type of "league sport" such as Tball, peewee and regular soccer, basketball, etc etc, until they're much MUCH older, they do not "count" points. They don't take them, capture them, score them, or even say them. There are no winners or losers in the town of little people and their park district activities.
No one has to cry over failing and no one has to scream with glee over winning a successfully played game of sports.

Funny, it seems that our government is attempting to do the same thing when it comes to the bailout and the chatter amongst the CNN's and the FOXNEWS LIVES and the MSNBC's, the House, the Senate, The President, the running candidates for President, at different times I have heard throughout this entire mess of the bailout discussion, mentions of failure and success.

They're not keeping score. They're like my Park District. Right now their actions are Not saying, "well, in order to be successful you have to fail, right."

"Come to America, because we won't allow the big Banks to fail, we'll pull the Park District Card out and say, if you fail, we'll bail you."

Just like children of today are being taught to play nice with everyone, that winning doesn't matter, that it's about team playing and togetherness. Now you guys all know how I am "one of those" thats totally for togetherness. But preparing my young children for their future by showing them that 'it's okay, because no matter what, you're not going to fail here out on the soccer field because no ones keeping score is only making their future walks more challenging, if you ask me.' I think we're tainting our children's future by hovering over them in this very manner. Don't worry if you don't try hard enough on your spelling test, don't worry if you fail, I'm not going to put an F on your report card. (Note: this is not to say that I push for perfection, no, but I'm going to teach my kids that unfortunately as minor as a cancelled playdate may be in their lives, it's a part of life. Disappointments are a part of life. Letting people down is a part of life and I'm not going to hide that from them).

Life IS about Failure! You work your duppa off all year long in nursing school, and yet when you take the boards, you fail. That's crappy, but it does happen to people. People fail. Shops that open up don't always make it, and you definitely don't see our Park District Gov't stepping in and bailing us out, right?

When you engage in something that is a path, a new venture, a business, a school program, a sport event, a scholar event, there's a % of people that just won't make the cut. Whether that's because they didn't study hard enough, or had too many sick days, or poor marketing skills, no matter the reasons, no matter who's to blame, people are going to fail.

Why is it that the Gov't isn't teaching their little ones (US!) that it's okay to fail. Personally the way they've handled the bailout-and I'm referring to everyone, I'm not blaming just one party, one person,- is absolute crap. It seems as if they're saying, there is no such thing as failure, because we're going to come in and bail you out if you're big and strong enough.

If you're the Lead coach of a hockey team, don't worry if you lose, you'll still have a job even if your job at teaching hockey sucks because we're going to come in and help you no matter how bad you screw up. No matter how many emails we uncover from top coaches written a couple years ago saying that 'you're fully aware that your hockey team is on a downward spiral, the skills are lacking of your players, and you just aren't sure there is a solution, but you just have to hope that you're not coaches by the time all the shit hits the fan.'

How dreadful is that?
There is failure in life and there is success. In order for there to be success there has to be failure no matter who's to blame.

If only the "Park District Folks" saw it that way.

14 comments:

austere said...

:))

It happened on Mr Greenspan's watch and NO ONE is taking his name, so how funny is that?

The worst hurt are the retirees.

And with an election right there round the corner, who wants to be the nasty guy?

Martha said...

Maybe you can send this to president. Seriously.

Diane Vogel Ferri said...

This was not true when my twenty-something children were kids, but when i went to my nephews games and saw this in action I was appalled! Our job is to prepare them for real life - the good and the bad. We are doing our children a great disservice to pretend that we are all winners and all the same.

CRUSTY MOM-E said...

Austie: So true. The poor retirees that were caught up in Bush's urging to roll their stocks into their retirement fund--now they're likely to lose it all--

So scary.
Should I pull our 401K, mutual funds, 529's, IRA, and savings accounts and just stick the cash under my bed? Better dust bunnies then those greedy,..well,...I'll say "jucks!"

CRUSTY MOM-E said...

Martha: Ha! A Crustybeef alters the way Bush thinks! :)

CRUSTY MOM-E said...

Diane: It's so sad, isn't it? You should be taught to play fair and be a good sport, and NOT how it's being managed NOW!

Moohaa said...

Preach it sister!! Love ya!

Moohaa said...

Loved your other post too. We need commentators like you out there.

Waterfalls!! (hugs!)

happyone said...

I couldn't have said it better - I agree with you!!!

Anonymous said...

Amen sister.

Thanks for the point of view...

Golden To Silver Val said...

You are so right. I'm trying to "follow" you, but it won't accept my request for some reason. I'll keep trying. xxoo Val

Susan's Snippets said...

Now CB, you don't want to bruise the children's tender little self esteem by having them LOSE and then grow up with issues.

get the tissues

captain corky said...

Yeah, I don't even know if I'm going to sign my kids up for sports until they are older. What fun can there be in a game that doesn't have loosers or winners.

Karen said...

None of us want to see hurt or disappointment in our children's eyes but we are definitely not doing them any favours by protecting them from life's harsh realities.

My sister sends her child to a school that I actually think is a commune in disguise. There are no rules at this school, in fact that is their angle for getting students to go there. Can you imagine? Worse...can you imagine when these kids grow up one day and have to integrate into a world that is full of rules and regulations and hello....laws. Sheesh....