It’s not just a participation trophy.
When you look up the word participation, here is the definition.
par·tic·i·pa·tion
noun
1. the action of taking part in something.
Synonyms: Involvement, contribution.
With Spring sports right around the corner, lots of posts begin to flood social media about “banning” participation trophies, and those posts are usually from parents of those children who by natural means, WIN. I’ve read these words specifically:
“If my child brings home a participation trophy, I don’t acknowledge it, my child did not “earn” a trophy for not winning.”
Here is the definition of winning:
•win•
verb
gerund or present participle: winning
1. be successful or victorious in (a contest or conflict).
2. manage to succeed or achieve something by effort.
As I’m cleaning Jake’s room and dusting today, I stopped to realize how blessed I am.. his shelves over flow from trophies, ribbons, sashes, medals.
Jake has been able to be a part of many sporting, pageant activities in his 19 years.
He has “WON” Christmas Ambassador in the Pieces of Hope pageant for raising the most money, that was used to purchase gifts for other local special needs children. He also “WON” best hair and best dressed.
Jake has participated in Miracle League baseball for ten years, each and every one of those “participation trophies” are sitting on his bookshelf.
Those trophies may seem like cheap, not important trophies to some parents, but to our family, we take pride and find them absolutely glorious.
You hear that, GLORIOUS! Those trophies might not mean much to other people, but to us they symbolize, effort, accomplishment. His self worth, his ABILITY, his “heart” work, his tenacity to be the best he can be are all over his walls.
Jake has “won,” a few of these trophies, crowns, banners, and the rest were simply because he participated, he took part, he contributed.
I’m blessed that Jake can and that we do encourage him to be the best he can be. These trophies are all like 1st place trophies to me, because he DID it. He earned them because he tried.
When you become a special needs parent. You see things you never imagined:
Discrimination is on top of that list.
You will also witness so many everyday miracles, and you will know it. You won’t think a medal is just a medal, you will know it’s a miracle. You will treasure things most people would not think twice about. Special needs parenting requires, celebrating the child you have, not the one you thought you would have.
If that makes sense.
- Special needs parents sometimes sell our own children short and don’t allow their kids to participate in such sports, because it will be hard or whatever other reason. Sometimes it’s because they are afraid of their child not succeeding.
We have always wanted Jake to be a part of a team, to learn about companionship, teamwork, and pushing himself to learn new things.
For him to participate, it takes all he has, self discipline, effort, practice.
Doesn’t that description signify winning? In my heart it does.
So, next time, you see someone downing participation trophies, consider a child like, my Jake, who in all essence of the word, WON.. he is winning at life by taking part of being a team mate.
It’s so much more than a “participation trophy.”
Most people see what is, and never see what can be. Albert Einstein
