Steelers Linebacker James Harrison Took Away His Kids’ Participation Trophies Because They Didn’t Earn Them

Steelers Linebacker James Harrison posted this picture to his Facebook page saying he took away his kid's participation trophies because he doesn't feel they earned them. The internet has broken out into a roar of approval for actions. Do you agree that a kid shouldn't be rewarded with something they didn't truly earn? Does it set a bad precedence for life?

For those of you who may not have kids, or have kids that play sports, here's the deal. If you have a kid who participates in sport, at the end of the season, everyone on the team gets a trophy. Even if a kid never even hits the field, they get a trophy. As a parent, this practice has definitely saved me from having to deal with seeing major disappointment in my son's face. Of my three kids, he's the only one where sports has been a big part of his life. And honestly, he's a pretty decent athlete that consistently contributed to his teams success. I've never felt that he didn't earn any trophy he's ever recieved. OK, maybe once or twice, but we won't talk about that.

I completely agree with Harrison. I don't think he's done this with any shred of malice whatsoever. He's teaching his kids the value of earning something. He makes a great living as a pro athlete, and I'm sure his family wants for nothing. He's obviously a pretty grounded guy and wants to make sure he keeps this train on track. He doesn't get caught up in moment of immediate gratification with his children, but sees the bigger picture of his responsibility of raising kids with great perspective and a sense of value.

Sure, they might be disappointed for a minute, but in the long run they'll be better people. Better people in this world is always a good thing, and way more important than a trophy.