It seems everyone is a winner in grade school. It’s a flat playing field.

I’m not sure what this is all about or what the future results are going to be. Ideally perhaps our children are being taught, “It’s not about winning, it’s about how you play the game. Or “Do your best.” Or maybe just show up, try and you’ll be rewarded.

A coach of one of my grandson’s baseball teams told me it’s important to feel like a winner, it enhances performance. I’m thinking, of course, self esteem, we all need that. We all need some trophies for our shelves. But if we all have them, do they have any meaning? Does rewarding everyone discourage a drive to excel?

Someone is always better than you are - prettier, richer, smarter, more athletic. Surely these kids see Johnny hits the ball harder than they do or Matt throws with greater accuracy. In the parlance of the 50’s, you win some, lose some. At times you win some lose most. That’s life. We can’t protect our children from it.

On the other hand (isn’t there always another hand) we’re talking about childhood here, a special, magic time that should be full of trophies.