Why do people hate the Proud of your Honor Student for Bumper Stickers?

[disykat]

The bumper sticker is sort of like tooting your own horn, and sometimes that rubs people the wrong way. That's all. If your kid is THAT spectacular, people will know about it, you don't need to keep reminding people of it with a bumper sticker.

We keep saying that OVER and OVER. Someone isn't listening!

Giving kids awards, principals announcing things, honor roll being published in the paper are NOT what we are talking about.

 

[pigletgirl]

I don't like bumper stickers in general.

 

[pacrosby]

Sorry, but a B is not the same accomplishment as an A. That is why they are different grades. Your daughter's friend may indeed have worked just as hard, or even harder, but it is not the same accomplishment. I climbed a hill today, but it is not the same as climbing a mountain, just because it took effort.

I'm going to jump in here and say that that it may in fact be the equivalent of another child getting an A and, as such, is the 'same accomplishment' for that particular child. Let's put it this way....is a super smart kid who gets an A in an easy subject somehow "more accomplished" than the more average student who gets a B in a more difficult subject? Or let's use a more equal playing field.....is the super smart kid who gets an A in the more difficult course "more accomplished" than the special ed student who gets a B in that same course? Of course not. As in everything, it's all relative.

Unless of course you look at the letter grade itself as "the accomplishment" as opposed to what the acheivement of that letter grade represents. But then that would mean you aren't measuring what's really important. I'm more interested in my kids achieving their true potential than how many A's they can rack up.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Just curious if everyone who doesn't like the bumper stickers feels the same about the window stickers or license plate covers that announce which college people have attended.

 

[Ed J]

I really like all the folks who are saying they don't care for bumpers stickers while they sport the witty saying under their name or the loud sig line

 

[Jennasis]

I don't care for bumper stickers, but it's because I think they look trashy. Same goes for any sticker on a car including college stickers, sports stickers or those stick figure families etc. Keep in mind my very first car was a gorgeous Chevy Beretta with neon pink 4 foot stickers on both sides proclaiming it the official pace car of the Indy 500.

Trashy.

 

[Ceila]

I have to say that I find the Darwin Ichthus symbols somewhere between offensive and ignorantly insensitive, and I am in no way a dogmatic Christian; in fact, I am quite liberal and ecumenical in my faith and a firm believer in evolution. Perhaps because I was raised with a strong understanding of the historical meaning of the Ichthus, however, I find the Darwin lizard symbol hurtful and think it is insensitive to use it to "poke fun" at those of faith. Imagine the legitimate outrage if a Christian decided to indicate their Christian faith by putting a sticker showing a cross smashing a Star of David, or a Star of David morphing into a crucifix on their car. That is why I find the FSM logo much more amusing and not at all offensive; it isn't taking an important symbol to one faith and using it to poke fun at another faith, but rather is a unique symbol to those of a certain belief. Sorry for the rant, I've just always wanted to say that to somebody...

To each their own, I guess. I'm Christian and think the Darwin thing is hilarious. And I don't see them as putting down Christianity at all, since I've seen them in the parking lot at church.

 

[disykat]

Just curious if everyone who doesn't like the bumper stickers feels the same about the window stickers or license plate covers that announce which college people have attended.

I have never seen anyone with anything on their car announcing their GPA - only that the like the school or are alumni of it.

If we were talking about "Proud parent of an Ajax Elementary School student" bumper stickers that might be a reasonable comparison, but we're not. We're talking about "my child is an honor student" bumper stickers.

 

[HsvTeacher]

I hate those bumper stickers! I have some students who are naturally bright and don't have to struggle to get an A. On the other hand, I have some students who bust their tails and make huge progress but still end up with a C on their report card. I'm celebrating the progress, not the grades!

Sorry, but a B is not the same accomplishment as an A. That is why they are different grades. Your daughter's friend may indeed have worked just as hard, or even harder, but it is not the same accomplishment. I climbed a hill today, but it is not the same as climbing a mountain, just because it took effort.

However, grades are very subjective, and what is an A in my team teacher's classroom is a B in my classroom. I have my grades weighted differently because my expectations are different.

 

[Planogirl]

I see those bumper stickers occasionally and really have no feelings one way or the other about them. I don't want any myself but I frankly don't care if others do.

 

[disfan07]

They don't bother me nor do the million and one back window stickers proclaiming whatever sport/all star team a kid made (most of them here seem to be baseball or softball around here).

But I would love to see some that simply say "Proud parent of my child"--because I think its important to be proud of our children for just being who they are.

You know...I'm glad you said this. I didnt even think of that before...but now that you said it, I really agree.

My parents always tell me and my brother that they will always be proud of us as long as we are doing what WE want to do and as long as we are happy.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

I have never seen anyone with anything on their car announcing their GPA - only that the like the school or are alumni of it.

If we were talking about "Proud parent of an Ajax Elementary School student" bumper stickers that might be a reasonable comparison, but we're not. We're talking about "my child is an honor student" bumper stickers.

I understand the distinction but I've also never seen one of those college stickers from So and So Community College. It's usually always some well-known school. And with your example, why would you need to tell the world where your child goes to school? In that case why not just "Proud Parent"? My point being I don't see the difference between "honor student" bumper stickers, I went to "xxx" school", or "I'm a Vet and Fought for your Freedom" bumper stickers. I feel if you want to brag, announce, inform the world of your business, it's your right to do so and I don't think we should be judging anyone. How can you know if it's perhaps the first time that person's child has ever made honor roll? My feeling is it's your car, put whatever you want on it. No skin off my nose.

 

[disykat]

I understand the distinction but I've also never seen one of those college stickers from So and So Community College. .

I see bumper stickers from my local community college all the time, as well as from lots of non-competitive schools in our area.

 

[Family Fun Mom]

I have one of those bumper stickers. I don't give a flying fig who it offends, who finds it obnoxious, or thinks it's annoying. I also don't care that it comes across as bragging (cuz it is, my daughter totally rocks!). I am proud of my daughter and her hard work and I proudly display that bumper sticker she earned!

I have a son who struggles in school. If he ever made the Honor Roll I swear I'd put a "Proud Honor Roll Mom" banner across my car and blow the horn so everybody would look. Until then, I just wear the giant photo button of him to all his baseball and soccer games, and wrestling matches, while I wave my school colors pom poms.

 

[wilderness01]

I dont have a bumper sticker, our school does not give them out. But they do publish a list of the kids who do make the honor roll. The star athlete is many times in the paper etc. People post these things on FB... I dont see the difference. People do brag about their kids in all areas, I think if the bumper sticker had anything to do with sports no one would care but because it is academics, people do not like it. Would you care if they wanted to put your child's accomplishment no matter what it is, sports, music, academics etc in the paper? People see it and now know what your kid has done.

I still dont see the big deal

Agree.

I don't put them on because I hate all bumper stickers, but that's just me.

 

[ilovepcot]

I don't have kids in school and I'm feeling a little left out. How 'bout I have a sticker made up for my car that says: THE BOSS LIKES ME BEST!

 

[chloelovesdisney]

I don't have kids in school and I'm feeling a little left out. How 'bout I have a sticker made up for my car that says: THE BOSS LIKES ME BEST!

I bet you could make some money selling those.

 

[collegejunkie]

i don't like bumper stickers to begin with, but these annoy me because it's not a big deal to make honor roll (at least not where i'm from). to be in the bottom HALF of my graduating high school class, your average had to be below a 92. 88 was the cut off for high honor roll and 85 was the cut off for regular honor roll. imagine how many stickers there would be around town for those kids if all the parents had the stickers. i also don't see what the point is for middle school or elementary school honor roll stickers or honor roll in those grades to begin with at all.

rant done. i was just happy to see i wasn't the only one who doesn't like these stickers lol

 

[ilovepcot]

I bet you could make some money selling those.

No...anyone BUT me. Soon as I had them made up, bumper stickers would suddenly become illegal. I just can't win!

 

[LisaR]

I understand the distinction but I've also never seen one of those college stickers from So and So Community College. It's usually always some well-known school. And with your example, why would you need to tell the world where your child goes to school? In that case why not just "Proud Parent"? My point being I don't see the difference between "honor student" bumper stickers, I went to "xxx" school", or "I'm a Vet and Fought for your Freedom" bumper stickers. I feel if you want to brag, announce, inform the world of your business, it's your right to do so and I don't think we should be judging anyone. How can you know if it's perhaps the first time that person's child has ever made honor roll? My feeling is it's your car, put whatever you want on it. No skin off my nose.

I certainly agree with your last statement and find it hard to believe that these types of things really offend people. Having said that, it is most definitely not my thing. I don't have bumper stickers, T-shirts, tags, signature lines, etc. that advertise my beliefs about anything.

DH and I were walking through a store today and I noticed a woman with a shirt on that said something like, "I'm single and loving life." It didn't offend me but I did find it to be bizarre. In 23 years of marriage, I have never thought to wear a shirt advertising how great married life is although I greatly enjoy it. Different strokes, I suppose.

I don't define my kids by their disabilities or abilities. I let them know on a regular basis how proud I am of them but I rarely make it about something specific.