Too much coddling of our youth

Too much coddling of our youth

In our society, we strive to be safe and comfortable. We like to see people happy and feeling good, and it’s uncomfortable for us to be, or deal with someone when they are upset. So naturally, we have begun phasing these feelings out by simply avoiding the problem.

It starts in Little League — everyone wins a trophy, and the rules enforce equal playing time. Even schools are beginning to take this approach, getting rid of grades all together and replacing them with measurements such as “meeting, progressing, or not meeting.” As mom and dad fear their child feeling disappointed after a tough loss, the child is falsely rewarded with a trophy representing a “Great Job, you still win!” And we wonder why the upcoming generations are being nicknamed “a generation of babies.” There is a fine line between love and encouragement, and sheltering, a line many modern parents seem to have crossed.

We can’t only blame the parents, after all, they only want what’s best. The rapid increase of technology seems to play a major role in the babying of generations. There are more ways than ever before to “protect” children from any harm they may encounter, GPS tracking and parent controlled cellphones are just a few, and countless videos about the effects of bullying make the world seem cruel.

While it may seem fine sheltering them now, what happens when they’re forced out into the real world? Jobs can’t just be handed to them, they will fail and encounter bullies, and will not understand how to deal with any of it. In no means do we need to bully the upcoming generations, but let’s refrain from all the coddling, sheltering, and helicopter parenting that gives them the humiliating nickname of “babies.”

Madison Matre

Glen Ellyn