I might understand rewards based on grades or chores, but not to work at baseball. How does one know for sure if someone has the necessary dedication and love for the game if they are playing for material rewards.
Then again, I suppose if the results are good the method is good.
When our kids were young I was too worried about making sure there was enough food on the table, so rewards for playing sports never entered my mind. In a way, I'm kind of glad it went that way. If I could I would have given our kids anything, but it wouldn't have had anything to do with playing ball.
To me the problem with what RJM put in the opening post is the parent(s) aren't teaching anything productive. They are teaching reward equals reward when they need to teach work equals reward.
A homerun is a reward for working hard at practice. Getting tix is a reward for whatever you want it to be. Where has this "dad of the year" taught the vaule of working for something? In the back of his mind that might be his goal but he hasn't shown the boy the path to getting the homerun.
How is this in anyway different than the first promise of a reward?
So how does the room get cleaned in the offseason? Does he have to score 3 touchdowns or 20 points in a basketball game? When does the child learn that things don't put themselves up? When does the child learn that when you don't keep your stuff clean and in good shape they last longer?
There are a million things wrong with this statement. TPM did a great job of explaining why this is wrong but here is my take on it. An Xbox game will run around $30 - $40 per game. So this guy is going to spend $150 - $200 on games to reinforce to his kid that it's ok to break the rules by showing up the other team that you are beating easily and possibly getting hurt in the process.
This statment makes me think that this guy is trying to get quality time with his son. I really doubt the parent wants the skateboard but he's willing to get two of these so he can ride with his son? That makes me think a dad is begging / bribing his son to spend time with him.
Fungo you said you bought your son a CD player for his truck based on if he worked on baseball. Obviously your son was successful but would you have bought him the CD player if he got cut from the team? I'm willing to bet that you would because to you the work wasn't hitting homeruns and throwing no hitters. To you the work was creating and developing a work ethic to see how when you put effort into something that there is a real value to it. This guy isn't doing that.
What kind of pressure is on this kid now? What is more important to this kid - "I got to get 2 homeruns today because I want the Xbox game" OR "I got to get 2 homeruns today because I need to help my team win"?
This guy isn't teaching his kid it's a privilege to play the game or that playing the game is the reward itself. As this kid gets older he will expect more and more rewards for his play.
What will he expect his HS coach to reward him with? A car?
quote:Over the fence homerun = MLB game tickets for him and a friend + food, souverniers, etc
A homerun is a reward for working hard at practice. Getting tix is a reward for whatever you want it to be. Where has this "dad of the year" taught the vaule of working for something? In the back of his mind that might be his goal but he hasn't shown the boy the path to getting the homerun.
quote:Multiple HRs = (I think he's got Scott Boras working with him on this one. I'm saying it has to be more than one in a single game or I'll even go the same week. He wants every HR after the first one to be worth) MLB tickets all inclusive to a 3 game series with a friend. Wants to take the train too
How is this in anyway different than the first promise of a reward?
quote:Complete game shutout = I'll clean his room for a week. Complete game no-hitter = I'll clean his room for a month + no chores for an additional month + double allowance for an additional month
So how does the room get cleaned in the offseason? Does he have to score 3 touchdowns or 20 points in a basketball game? When does the child learn that things don't put themselves up? When does the child learn that when you don't keep your stuff clean and in good shape they last longer?
quote:Triple w/ head first slide = (Since sliding head first is illegal in LL, it's stipulated that his team has to have a comfortable lead because he'll probably be called out) 5 XBox games and I have to play them with him.
There are a million things wrong with this statement. TPM did a great job of explaining why this is wrong but here is my take on it. An Xbox game will run around $30 - $40 per game. So this guy is going to spend $150 - $200 on games to reinforce to his kid that it's ok to break the rules by showing up the other team that you are beating easily and possibly getting hurt in the process.
quote:Walk off HR = long board skateboards for both he and I and I have to ride mine with him sometimes. So basically this one costs me a bunch of cash and broken bones
This statment makes me think that this guy is trying to get quality time with his son. I really doubt the parent wants the skateboard but he's willing to get two of these so he can ride with his son? That makes me think a dad is begging / bribing his son to spend time with him.
Fungo you said you bought your son a CD player for his truck based on if he worked on baseball. Obviously your son was successful but would you have bought him the CD player if he got cut from the team? I'm willing to bet that you would because to you the work wasn't hitting homeruns and throwing no hitters. To you the work was creating and developing a work ethic to see how when you put effort into something that there is a real value to it. This guy isn't doing that.
What kind of pressure is on this kid now? What is more important to this kid - "I got to get 2 homeruns today because I want the Xbox game" OR "I got to get 2 homeruns today because I need to help my team win"?
This guy isn't teaching his kid it's a privilege to play the game or that playing the game is the reward itself. As this kid gets older he will expect more and more rewards for his play.
What will he expect his HS coach to reward him with? A car?
quote:it's a privilege to play the game or that playing the game is the reward
Coach,
Bingo! And the biggest reward for all the hard work is you get better at playing the game you love.
And if you end up playing the game well enough someone else rewards you.
quote:I might understand rewards based on grades or chores,
My dad tried this with my brother. My dad said he would buy my brother an X-Box or something similar if he made the Honor Roll. It wasn't money being spent for that reason, but rather spending that money elsewhere. The money to buy that game system would have come from the money saved on the car insurance for the "Good Student" discount program.
I am not sure this was a real serious post, he even admitted that his son was not such a great player last year.
I am sure that at some point we all promised our sons something for their hard work, not necessarily baseball.
Don't we reward our sons when we take them off for a weekend to a showcase, or a tournament or sign them up for travel ball?
The thing that struck me, was that it seemed more like bribery than anything else, and IMO, there is a difference.
The good thing is that most here, agree that there are lessons to be learned in life and working hard and seeing results seems to be the common thread between us, not materialistic rewards.
I am sure that at some point we all promised our sons something for their hard work, not necessarily baseball.
Don't we reward our sons when we take them off for a weekend to a showcase, or a tournament or sign them up for travel ball?
The thing that struck me, was that it seemed more like bribery than anything else, and IMO, there is a difference.
The good thing is that most here, agree that there are lessons to be learned in life and working hard and seeing results seems to be the common thread between us, not materialistic rewards.
In the first game my boy pitched I was trying to keep track of how many walks and strikeouts that he had. I guess he was about nine or ten years old. I was holding my hands in my pockets and counting on my fingers. When I ran out of fingers I had to improvise. Since I had a pocketful of change I started using copper for walks and silver for strikeouts.
After the game we tallied the stats and without thinking I gave it to him. In the future games, it was quite clear that I had stumbled upon an incentive program.
For the rest of the season, I always tried to have more quarters and dimes in my pockets than nickels. I also remember going back to the truck a few times during the game to get more pennies.
After the game we tallied the stats and without thinking I gave it to him. In the future games, it was quite clear that I had stumbled upon an incentive program.
For the rest of the season, I always tried to have more quarters and dimes in my pockets than nickels. I also remember going back to the truck a few times during the game to get more pennies.
If a player, regardless of age, needs incentives then , in my mind he does not truly love the game---he is doing it for the rewards he gets from Mommie and Daddy and whomever else
Wrong Wrong Wrong !!!!
Wrong Wrong Wrong !!!!
I believe we reward our kids with the opportunity to climb the baseball ladder based on their talent, work ethic and passion for the game, not stats.quote:Don't we reward our sons when we take them off for a weekend to a showcase, or a tournament or sign them up for travel ball?
I'm guessing hoping the original posting was at least half in jest! It would never have occurred to us to bribe or "reward" our kids for good performance in sports. We didn't pay them for chores or grades, either, although those sound more reasonable. My husband did pay our younger son about $100 each spring for voluntarily doing "annual yard cleanup" when the snow melted. I guess spring yard cleanup, with a 90-lb lab in the family, is kind of like a really gross marathon.
Sorry to share that.
Julie
Sorry to share that.
Julie
quote:Originally posted by TRhit:
If a player, regardless of age, needs incentives then , in my mind he does not truly love the game---he is doing it for the rewards he gets from Mommie and Daddy and whomever else
Wrong Wrong Wrong !!!!
I agree TR.
Also, rewarding for HR and strikouts may actually backfire. A kid trying too hard to hit a homerun or throw a strike by a batter usually doesn't. Swinging hard trying to jack one out will probably lead to bad mechanics and habits. Players and kids don't need any additional reasons to start pressing and forcing something to happen. Good things happen when a player stays within himself and his abilities.
As usual, if this is a true story, over the top parents usually get the exact opposite results than the ones they are trying to accomplish.
I read the entire thread on another site where it was posted and discussed....
Guys and Gals.... the Dad is dead serious!!!
Guys and Gals.... the Dad is dead serious!!!
what were the response on the other site?
For some reason I do not think he is very Unique
Some of the responses were "hey that's a good idea"
and many of them were, "I don't think you want to open up that can of worms." They weren't as, shall we say old school, as the opinion over here at the hsbbw. Woody, cue the photo of a really old school building.
TR... as I think about it; you're probably right.
and many of them were, "I don't think you want to open up that can of worms." They weren't as, shall we say old school, as the opinion over here at the hsbbw. Woody, cue the photo of a really old school building.
TR... as I think about it; you're probably right.
quote:Originally posted by TRhit:
For some reason I do not think he is very Unique
i agree...happens a lot more than we realize i bet, however maybe not with that kind of bankroll...
i remember 2 different kids in LL that had "that dad", neither kid plays on the high school team today......wonder why? either they never learned to love the game....or perhaps the parents went bankrupt and couldn't honor the contract
I found the site and I think in some regard the reward system was kind of a tongue-n-cheek conversation between dad-n-kid. However, as much as he tried to downplay it, he was kind of serious about the reward system
The site itself looks it's made up of many younger players families and reality has not yet reared it's ugly head. What did surprise me was the number of positive replies to the "contract".
What I did learn from what I read is the HSBBW is in a class of it's own.
The site itself looks it's made up of many younger players families and reality has not yet reared it's ugly head. What did surprise me was the number of positive replies to the "contract".
What I did learn from what I read is the HSBBW is in a class of it's own.
While I never offered my kids anything for their performances, my parents had a standing offer for me of a banana split for an over the fence home run in little league. Never cashed in on that 
[QUOTE]Originally posted by RJM:
I found this post on another board. What do people think of this?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Funny thing is that even almost all of the ones he didn't reach, he got paid off on eventually anyway. There was a Wii and an XBox 360 that he eventually got for XMas
Why not a Benz or Lexus?
So far we've got:
Over the fence homerun = MLB game tickets for him and a friend + food, souverniers, etc.
Moneybags should have forked over for the Suite!
Multiple HRs = (I think he's got Scott Boras working with him on this one. I'm saying it has to be more than one in a single game or I'll even go the same week. He wants every HR after the first one to be worth) MLB tickets all inclusive to a 3 game series with a friend. Wants to take the train too.
Cheapskate, get the chopper or at least the limo
Complete game shutout = I'll clean his room for a week.
Complete game no-hitter = I'll clean his room for a month + no chores for an additional month + double allowance for an additional month.
Hey moneybags, hire a maid!
25+ innings w/o a wild pitch = new catcher's gear
What's wrong with the current gear?
12K's in a single game = Nike ID (ones he personalizes) cletes with nickname and # in All Star colors if he makes it or for football.
Those shoes stink. Bot em, bottoms fell off after one hoops practice. Made in SE Asia by slave labor.
Triple w/ head first slide = (Since sliding head first is illegal in LL, it's stipulated that his team has to have a comfortable lead because he'll probably be called out) 5 XBox games and I have to play them with him.
Richey Rich had a father?
Walk off HR = long board skateboards for both he and I and I have to ride mine with him sometimes. So basically this one costs me a bunch of cash and broken bones.
Now you complain about money?
That's about it so far, but as the season develops they normally change. QUOTE]
I got an idea, why don't you give me 1/2 your money and I'll take you out back and kick you in the b-lls!
I found this post on another board. What do people think of this?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Funny thing is that even almost all of the ones he didn't reach, he got paid off on eventually anyway. There was a Wii and an XBox 360 that he eventually got for XMas
Why not a Benz or Lexus?
So far we've got:
Over the fence homerun = MLB game tickets for him and a friend + food, souverniers, etc.
Moneybags should have forked over for the Suite!
Multiple HRs = (I think he's got Scott Boras working with him on this one. I'm saying it has to be more than one in a single game or I'll even go the same week. He wants every HR after the first one to be worth) MLB tickets all inclusive to a 3 game series with a friend. Wants to take the train too.
Cheapskate, get the chopper or at least the limo
Complete game shutout = I'll clean his room for a week.
Complete game no-hitter = I'll clean his room for a month + no chores for an additional month + double allowance for an additional month.
Hey moneybags, hire a maid!
25+ innings w/o a wild pitch = new catcher's gear
What's wrong with the current gear?
12K's in a single game = Nike ID (ones he personalizes) cletes with nickname and # in All Star colors if he makes it or for football.
Those shoes stink. Bot em, bottoms fell off after one hoops practice. Made in SE Asia by slave labor.
Triple w/ head first slide = (Since sliding head first is illegal in LL, it's stipulated that his team has to have a comfortable lead because he'll probably be called out) 5 XBox games and I have to play them with him.
Richey Rich had a father?
Walk off HR = long board skateboards for both he and I and I have to ride mine with him sometimes. So basically this one costs me a bunch of cash and broken bones.
Now you complain about money?
That's about it so far, but as the season develops they normally change. QUOTE]
I got an idea, why don't you give me 1/2 your money and I'll take you out back and kick you in the b-lls!
quote:"a college scholarship which in part was paid to him in cash"----please explain---thanx
I should have said "check" instead of "cash" but I meant the money was given directly to the player. The way the college scholarship was awarded left it up to the player/parent as how it was to be disbursed. They would write me a check for the full amount and I in turn could pay the bursar's office for tuition, books, fees, etc --- or --- they would pay the bursar's office directly which I wanted them to do. Since my son was going to live off campus the room and board allowance was given to him in the way of a check.
That's true. I was more active there before my son hit high school. Other posters have graduated to this site. Sometimes we offer advice/experience. The dads of kiddie ball think they know better than the experienced dads. I do enjoy the post scripts when I'm PM'ed after the fact I was right. I'm a believer in learning from the experienced. That's why I'm here. I also enjoy watching DeeMax beat up on Chris O'Leary, if anyone remembers O'Leary from this site. He's returned as John Ya Ya.quote:The site itself looks it's made up of many younger players families and reality has not yet reared it's ugly head.
So what site is it on? Can we post a link or would that be bad?
Coach May nailed this early on in the thread.
quote:Fungo you said you bought your son a CD player for his truck based on if he worked on baseball. Obviously your son was successful but would you have bought him the CD player if he got cut from the team? I'm willing to bet that you would because to you the work wasn't hitting homeruns and throwing no hitters. To you the work was creating and developing a work ethic to see how when you put effort into something that there is a real value to it. This guy isn't doing that.
Coach you're right on. Had nothing to do with production but everything to do with work ethic. I saw it as a fork in the road for my son. College and baseball down one fork and ---- becoming accustomed to earning money and associating minimum wage as being successful down the other. I've seen it happen too many times with high school aged boys. I felt if I could make the lure of getting a job at Kroger (the CD player in this case) disappear, he would stay on the right track. It worked out fine in his case.
These young players need a support person(s) in order for them to achieve loftier goals whether it be in baseball, academics or whatever. I didn't build him a BMX track, Xgames course, or a launching ramp for a skateboard but I did lot to keep him focused on academics and sports including building a football goalpost, pitching mounds and soft toss nets. Did I entice him to do more and better baseball --- probably. I did my part --- he did his part. He and I both understood that each were committed to the "cause" --- but nothing was written in a contract. I have said many times "Look at the parents work so hard just so their kids can play"
Fungo
Since several others have found it .....
incentive thread
Please respect when I copied his post to this board I maintained his privacy. Please leave him alone.
incentive thread
Please respect when I copied his post to this board I maintained his privacy. Please leave him alone.
Paying for specific acts in any single game seems more than extravagant. There are rewards for playing baseball as many people have pointed out above. I do remember hearing some parents offer a dollar for a hit. That seemed more of a motivation effort, especially if the kid had not been hitting.
But when I think back, we did pay a lot to play baseball; not only in dollars, add a lot of time to that equation.
I would like to enter a synopsis from my perspective;
T-ball – Son age 4 (played early with July birthday)
REWARDS – son loved running around and playing with 11 other kids all season, plus a couple trips to Dairy Queen. Parents received much more REWARDS and had more fun than you should have watching their own kids and others kids playing on the diamond for the first time. Still my favorite year!
COST – uniform, about $40 dollars plus park fees about $40, plus several trips to Dairy Queen. Total = $80 or $90
First Travel ball team – Son age 10
REWARDS - son playing with what amounts to an all-star team from the park all season long. Son improved by the challenge of playing against other “all-star” teams and playing with kids that were into it as much as he was instead of playing with some kids that really did not care that much to be out on the field. My wife and I enjoyed the time with kids in the car (really), at the hotel, at the park, etc.. get the picture.
COST – uniform(s) $250 for three shirts, two pants, under shirts and accessories. Team fees (I am having trouble remembering for sure) around $400. Now add hotels, gas, food, park entrance fees, t-shirts, sun glasses for son and daughter, etc… I have no idea; did not really keep track of all this; probably averaged $300 a weekend over at least 14 weekends, so lets say $4200. Total $4850 Say $5000 for good round number!
Several more years of travel ball that I do not want to even try to add up. Let’s just say the first year was the cheapest! Son age 12 through 17. REWARDS – son getting to play on the Atlanta Braves Scout team when he was 16. (Well I believe he turned 17 that week!)
High school ball had it costs and Rewards too.
Vanderbilt baseball team and education! No matter what my costs are, this experience is priceless for both my son and his family!!!!
I believe we all seek rewards for what we do in one way or another. We just need to keep a good perspective on that and make sure the kids enjoy the experience as the reward and provide some “treats” along the way.
But when I think back, we did pay a lot to play baseball; not only in dollars, add a lot of time to that equation.
I would like to enter a synopsis from my perspective;
T-ball – Son age 4 (played early with July birthday)
REWARDS – son loved running around and playing with 11 other kids all season, plus a couple trips to Dairy Queen. Parents received much more REWARDS and had more fun than you should have watching their own kids and others kids playing on the diamond for the first time. Still my favorite year!
COST – uniform, about $40 dollars plus park fees about $40, plus several trips to Dairy Queen. Total = $80 or $90
First Travel ball team – Son age 10
REWARDS - son playing with what amounts to an all-star team from the park all season long. Son improved by the challenge of playing against other “all-star” teams and playing with kids that were into it as much as he was instead of playing with some kids that really did not care that much to be out on the field. My wife and I enjoyed the time with kids in the car (really), at the hotel, at the park, etc.. get the picture.
COST – uniform(s) $250 for three shirts, two pants, under shirts and accessories. Team fees (I am having trouble remembering for sure) around $400. Now add hotels, gas, food, park entrance fees, t-shirts, sun glasses for son and daughter, etc… I have no idea; did not really keep track of all this; probably averaged $300 a weekend over at least 14 weekends, so lets say $4200. Total $4850 Say $5000 for good round number!
Several more years of travel ball that I do not want to even try to add up. Let’s just say the first year was the cheapest! Son age 12 through 17. REWARDS – son getting to play on the Atlanta Braves Scout team when he was 16. (Well I believe he turned 17 that week!)
High school ball had it costs and Rewards too.
Vanderbilt baseball team and education! No matter what my costs are, this experience is priceless for both my son and his family!!!!
I believe we all seek rewards for what we do in one way or another. We just need to keep a good perspective on that and make sure the kids enjoy the experience as the reward and provide some “treats” along the way.
Summary:
A poster on the other site criticzed the comments I brought over anonymously from this site (for example referred to Coach May as "high school coach, respected travel coach, dad of a D1 player"). Another poster stated it doesn't matter what parents of college players think. I responded these are people who have been through the journey including preteen ball. They've experienced and witnessed all the good and bad of preteen ball.
Here's the last response from the original poster:
"Gee, I don't know how can ever thank you. That's b.s. I found the site those responses came from. All I can say is with the luxury of complete annonymity you can be whoever you want to be on the net. It amazes me how many choose to be hostile and intolerant."
Conclusion: Sometimes you can't even lead the horse to water.
I've learned a lesson. It makes no sense to offer advice and experience to kiddie ball dads. Some are born experts. They have a better way than what has already worked for every player that become successful.
I'll stick here where I can learn from knowledgeble, experienced people on the road ahead for my son and myself as his dad. I'm still glad I shared the thread with this board. I found it to be one of the all time outrageous kiddie ball posts.
My favorite all-time outrageous preteen comment:
If you remember several years ago SI had a cover story on the ten year old athlete. One 10U pitcher pitched 234 innings one year. When a youth sports expert and former NBA player interviewed the dad and told him 234 innings was over the top, the dad responded, "What the (heck) do you know? You're not playing competitively anymore. I'm going to give my son every chance to fulfill his dream of becoming a MLB pitcher."
Note: When the article came out I checked the kid's innings against MLB. Only four MLB pitchers threw more.
A poster on the other site criticzed the comments I brought over anonymously from this site (for example referred to Coach May as "high school coach, respected travel coach, dad of a D1 player"). Another poster stated it doesn't matter what parents of college players think. I responded these are people who have been through the journey including preteen ball. They've experienced and witnessed all the good and bad of preteen ball.
Here's the last response from the original poster:
"Gee, I don't know how can ever thank you. That's b.s. I found the site those responses came from. All I can say is with the luxury of complete annonymity you can be whoever you want to be on the net. It amazes me how many choose to be hostile and intolerant."
Conclusion: Sometimes you can't even lead the horse to water.
I've learned a lesson. It makes no sense to offer advice and experience to kiddie ball dads. Some are born experts. They have a better way than what has already worked for every player that become successful.
I'll stick here where I can learn from knowledgeble, experienced people on the road ahead for my son and myself as his dad. I'm still glad I shared the thread with this board. I found it to be one of the all time outrageous kiddie ball posts.
My favorite all-time outrageous preteen comment:
If you remember several years ago SI had a cover story on the ten year old athlete. One 10U pitcher pitched 234 innings one year. When a youth sports expert and former NBA player interviewed the dad and told him 234 innings was over the top, the dad responded, "What the (heck) do you know? You're not playing competitively anymore. I'm going to give my son every chance to fulfill his dream of becoming a MLB pitcher."
Note: When the article came out I checked the kid's innings against MLB. Only four MLB pitchers threw more.
RJM,
Sometimes people just have to learn as they go forward, then they can look back and see for themselves what jerks they were.
Not saying that preteen dads are jerks as most here are not. This place kind of changes your prospective on what you think you know vs. what you don't know.
Sometimes people just have to learn as they go forward, then they can look back and see for themselves what jerks they were.
Not saying that preteen dads are jerks as most here are not. This place kind of changes your prospective on what you think you know vs. what you don't know.
quote:Originally posted by RJM:
A poster on the other site criticzed the comments I brought over anonymously from this site...
Looks like RJM fired the first shot across the gorge.
Actually I read it over again and I still think he joking or at least was half serious.
JMO
JMO
rjm
that was a very interesting site. i found myself browsing around for awhile. is it fairly new?
man i need to get out more.
that was a very interesting site. i found myself browsing around for awhile. is it fairly new?
man i need to get out more.
Even worse than the idea of incentives is the extreme this guy took it to! I wouldn't get treatment like that from my parents if I won a nobel prize! It wouldn't be such a big concern if the guy was just throwing a buck or two at his kid here and there.
It's been around quite a while. I only look at the category the thread was posted. But there are a lot of other categories geared to the baseball fan. I think there's a connection between that site and baseball-reference.comquote:Originally posted by 20dad:
that was a very interesting site. i found myself browsing around for awhile. is it fairly new?
From the "Be careful what you put out there as an Incentive to your kids Department":
A while back, I bought a new car; both kids (HS senior daughter and HS sophomore son) think its hot and want to drive it. Envisioning an air-bag deploying high-speed catastrophe, I said OK with a catch. It's yours for a week if son throws a no hitter on varsity or daughter gets "Girl of the Week" award from her drill team (there are about 65 girls on the team, and only 10 weeks to get the award, so I figure my odds are pretty good, and I'm feeling as smug as George Clooney and congratulating myself on my cleverness.) Two weeks later, (with less than 300 miles on the car, my flight is delayed so I miss the first half of our first HS football game of the season. When I land, there's a message from my daughter, over the game noise in the background, she's squealing with delight that she was named "GOTW" and telling me where she'll be at the end of the game so I can give her the keys.
I'm not sure what was worse; missing the thrill of seeing her award announced at halftime, or teaching her the art of welching on a bet.
The odds are still with me on son, although in a scrimmage this past Saturday, he throws 3 innings without giving up a hit, so I'm already having to make up lame excuses for him ("You didn't go long enough;" "Not an official game;" That offer expired 12/31/08.")
Moral of the story, at least for me; stick with dinner out at favorite drive-thru restaurant as an incentive for your kids.
A while back, I bought a new car; both kids (HS senior daughter and HS sophomore son) think its hot and want to drive it. Envisioning an air-bag deploying high-speed catastrophe, I said OK with a catch. It's yours for a week if son throws a no hitter on varsity or daughter gets "Girl of the Week" award from her drill team (there are about 65 girls on the team, and only 10 weeks to get the award, so I figure my odds are pretty good, and I'm feeling as smug as George Clooney and congratulating myself on my cleverness.) Two weeks later, (with less than 300 miles on the car, my flight is delayed so I miss the first half of our first HS football game of the season. When I land, there's a message from my daughter, over the game noise in the background, she's squealing with delight that she was named "GOTW" and telling me where she'll be at the end of the game so I can give her the keys.
I'm not sure what was worse; missing the thrill of seeing her award announced at halftime, or teaching her the art of welching on a bet.
The odds are still with me on son, although in a scrimmage this past Saturday, he throws 3 innings without giving up a hit, so I'm already having to make up lame excuses for him ("You didn't go long enough;" "Not an official game;" That offer expired 12/31/08.")
Moral of the story, at least for me; stick with dinner out at favorite drive-thru restaurant as an incentive for your kids.
This guy took what can be a fun diversion and turned it into a disaster. It just goes to show that too much of a good thing is no good.
I remember my dad bribing me in Little League. It was the only time he ever offered me money for production. I remember it like it was yesterday. He offered me a quarter for a single, 50 cents for a double and so on. During the game I hit a bloop double down the line and after the game he wouldn't pay up. He told me, "that wasn't a real double" and we never did the bribery thing again.
I bribed my son when he was four years old. I felt he was ready for the batting cage but he was scared to get in it. Let me add that the cage I wanted him to try was one built for little kids. T-Ball coaches rented it out by the hour for their teams. I got my son to try it by promising him a Ninja Turtles game. Well, the bribe worked. Once he did it, he loved it and that hurdle was conquered.
As a coach I have bribed players. But never during a game. Mostly during bunting practice. I would put a can with a dollar under it down each foul line. The player that knocked the can over got to keep the dollar. It made bunting practice a lot of fun.
Any coach that has told his players they won't have to run laps if they win or anything along those lines has used bribery to motivate the team. I remember the Denver Broncos coach, Mike Shanahan, giving the players a day off on Monday if they won on Sunday. It can and should be a harmless motivational tool.
I remember my dad bribing me in Little League. It was the only time he ever offered me money for production. I remember it like it was yesterday. He offered me a quarter for a single, 50 cents for a double and so on. During the game I hit a bloop double down the line and after the game he wouldn't pay up. He told me, "that wasn't a real double" and we never did the bribery thing again.
I bribed my son when he was four years old. I felt he was ready for the batting cage but he was scared to get in it. Let me add that the cage I wanted him to try was one built for little kids. T-Ball coaches rented it out by the hour for their teams. I got my son to try it by promising him a Ninja Turtles game. Well, the bribe worked. Once he did it, he loved it and that hurdle was conquered.
As a coach I have bribed players. But never during a game. Mostly during bunting practice. I would put a can with a dollar under it down each foul line. The player that knocked the can over got to keep the dollar. It made bunting practice a lot of fun.
Any coach that has told his players they won't have to run laps if they win or anything along those lines has used bribery to motivate the team. I remember the Denver Broncos coach, Mike Shanahan, giving the players a day off on Monday if they won on Sunday. It can and should be a harmless motivational tool.
Don't you think these examples are a different scope and a different level of competition.quote:Any coach that has told his players they won't have to run laps if they win or anything along those lines has used bribery to motivate the team. I remember the Denver Broncos coach, Mike Shanahan, giving the players a day off on Monday if they won on Sunday. It can and should be a harmless motivational tool.
Bribing a 4 year old to get in a batting cage --_WOW
I may be old school but you guys continue to amaze me with what you do !!!!
I may be old school but you guys continue to amaze me with what you do !!!!
quote:Bribing a 4 year old to get in a batting cage --_WOW
I may be old school but you guys continue to amaze me with what you do !!!!
I had to bribe mine to get out...
'Com'on...if we leave now I'll take you to Dairy Queen'...
quote:Originally posted by Hawk19:
I had to bribe mine to get out...
That happened the second time we went to the cage.TRHit, what's the big deal?
Any parent here who says they never bribed their children are lying big time.
DOD
Whats the big deal?
Maybe not for you but for me there is huge problem---first of all why is the 4 year old in a batting cage/ If he doesn't want to be there why bribe him?
Yea I am old school but you know what ??? I like that--If my kids didnt want to go they didnt go---what the heck--why force them?
And they all got to where they wanted to be
Whats the big deal?
Maybe not for you but for me there is huge problem---first of all why is the 4 year old in a batting cage/ If he doesn't want to be there why bribe him?
Yea I am old school but you know what ??? I like that--If my kids didnt want to go they didnt go---what the heck--why force them?
And they all got to where they wanted to be
quote:if anyone remembers O'Leary from this site. He's returned as John Ya Ya.
That explains a lot!