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

[LisaR]

I would hope so too, but I would be proud of my kids no matter what they accomplish. And parents should put a value on any accomplishment and that includes Honor Roll (unless it is not a real accomplishment at the school) But once again, do you have issue with a bumper sticker for a team bumper sticker that require tryouts? Around here many people have bumper stickers for soccer teams, LAX etc that you only make if you are the best of the best in that sport...are they ok to you? Or is that parent putting a value on that accomplishment as well? Or the team jackets displaying championships etc?

But what is that value? To some that means putting a bumper sticker on their car. To others, it might be a monetary reward or a special dinner or dessert. To some it might simply mean a, "Good job, honey. Mom and dad are really proud of you."

I am that parent. I am not one to jump up and down and celebrate every victory like it is the end of the world. I think good grades and the honor roll are terrific but I don't see why it needs anything more than a verbal acknowledgement on how proud you.


But I do get that not everyone feels that way. If a bumper sticker makes you happy, it doesn't offend me in the slightest. I do get a chuckle out of them when I see them on someone's car.

 

[Mkrop]

College sweatshirts or team bumper sticks, for me, are different. I think of those as showing support for the team, college, whatever. I wouldn't look at someone with a Yale sticker on their car and think they want everyone to know they went to Yale because they are bragging about how smart they are. They are showing support for the school. I don't exactly know how to explain why that's different than a bumper sticker listing your child's accomplishments, but it is.

There is between difference in "Yale" and "My child got on the Dean's List at Yale"

But what is that value? To some that means putting a bumper sticker on their car. To others, it might be a monetary reward or a special dinner or dessert. To some it might simply mean a, "Good job, honey. Mom and dad are really proud of you."

I am that parent. I am not one to jump up and down and celebrate every victory like it is the end of the world. I think good grades and the honor roll are terrific but I don't see why it needs anything more than a verbal acknowledgement on how proud you.


But I do get that not everyone feels that way. If a bumper sticker makes you happy, it doesn't offend me in the slightest. I do get a chuckle out of them when I see them on someone's car.

Ok I guess I wont "get it"

No skin off my nose, I dont have a bumper sticker so for me this was just a debate and mere curiosity.

Thanks for the viewpoints

 

[joyjoy]

They are every bit as smart as their sister but they hate school and give minimal effort. Their grades reflect that effort. If seeing the "Proud Parent" sticker on my car hurts their poor fragile wittle self esteems then they should work harder and earn one of their own.

Good for you, Mom. I personally don't love all the showboating and bragging about kids' accomplishments, but holy cow. If you're gonna do it, don't punish the overachieving kid just because the others aren't as ambitious.

That said......

My kid was a competitive gymnast (retired at L8 due to injuries) and her team won a lot of meets. Our coaches would have been MORTIFIED if anybody wore a shirt or painted their car or whatever bragging about one particular kid. We were at a State meet once and when the 2nd Place All Around winner was named and she headed to the podium, her wacky mom started to run up to the podium with armfuls of flowers and balloons to present to her perfect angel AT THE PODIUM, BEFORE 1st HAD EVEN BEEN ANNOUNCED! Rude. The host gym owner/announcer sent her back to her seat, dejected, with her balloons and teddy bears.

 

[KAMLEM]

They have those around here! When pictures are made of the team and players, the photographer will make these huge pins for the moms to wear to the games and such. I have also seen parents with t-shirts that say "XXXX's Mom" on the back.

My DD's would be horrified if I did something like that, I don't think they'd want me to come to their games anymore.

I'd rather see those honor roll bumper stickers than the R.I.P. window stickers. Those are kind of creepy; why display them on a car?

I just started noticing those recently. I'm with you, I find them very creepy.

 

[Family Fun Mom]

Parents can do whatever they want, obviously, but to me the difference in a child wearing a college shirt or having a trophy in their room and parents putting a bumper sticker on their car is that the PARENTS are putting the value on the accomplishment, or at least it seems that way when I see that bumper sticker. I read it "I am proud of my child BECAUSE he is an honor student." I always wonder if people take the bumper sticker off if their child doesn't make the honor roll the next semester, or if they mark out IS and write in WAS, LOL. I would hope the child knows that the parents would love and be proud of him even if he didn't make the honor roll.[/QUOTE]

I wish the DIS had a better eyeroll smiley.

If my daughter doesn't make the Honor Roll next semester I will make her take the sticker off herself while dh and I withhold our pride and love. And as an added bonus I will allow her less ambitious brothers to point and laugh to boost the self esteem I killed for putting the bumper sticker on the car in the first place.

Lighten up! It's a bumper sticker people! I don't think it's going to land anyone in therapy.

 

[Family Fun Mom]

Good for you, Mom. I personally don't love all the showboating and bragging about kids' accomplishments, but holy cow. If you're gonna do it, don't punish the overachieving kid just because the others aren't as ambitious.

Who is punishing anyone? Putting a bumper sticker on my car that says my kid made Honor Roll is a punishment to the kid that didn't? In what world does that make sense? Oh, I know! The world where everyone is a winner and you get a trophy just for being born.

My daughter is actually not an "overachiever." She just gives the appropriate effort that schoolwork requires. I'm not going to sugarcoat that and I won't downplay her effort. Especially when I know both of my boys are just as capable as she is, they just don't try. There are plenty of instances where the tables are turned and my boys shine while my daughter does not but we are specifically talking about Honor Roll here.

 

[torinsmom]

I would hope so too, but I would be proud of my kids no matter what they accomplish. And parents should put a value on any accomplishment and that includes Honor Roll (unless it is not a real accomplishment at the school) But once again, do you have issue with a bumper sticker for a team bumper sticker that require tryouts? Around here many people have bumper stickers for soccer teams, LAX etc that you only make if you are the best of the best in that sport...are they ok to you? Or is that parent putting a value on that accomplishment as well? Or the team jackets displaying championships etc?

Team stickers celebrate the team and not one particular player's accomplishments on the team.

Like I said, to each his/her own.......You won't change my mind on the subject and I'm sure I won't change yours. My child knows I'm proud of him, so I don't feel the need to put my pride on a bumper sticker.

 

[sparklynails23]

Team stickers celebrate the team and not one particular player's accomplishments on the team..

There was just a poster upthread who said she displayed her son's baseball sticker because she is proud of "him" for making the team. She isn't celebrating the team, she's excited her son is living his baseball dream. I don't see where one is ok and the other is showing off. Either the sports stickers are ok and the academic stickers are ok, or neither is acceptable.

My bumper sticker says OBX just to remind me of the beach in this dreary season.

 

[Pigeon]

I usually think to myself, "Poor smart kid with obnoxious parents."

My kids do quite well in school. No need to advertise the fact to strangers on a daily basis.

 

[torinsmom]

I usually think to myself, "Poor smart kid with obnoxious parents."

My kids do quite well in school. No need to advertise the fact to strangers on a daily basis.

LOL

 

[North of Mouse]

I don't want my car marred with any type stickers, bumpers, or not - just personally think they're tacky, just MO Doesn't bother me if others want them, except the ones that totally gross me out, and are very immoral (X or R rated) when everyone, including kids are exposed to them - what's the point? I get the feeling people are insecure and need something to get other's attention.

 

[jrmasm]

I usually think to myself, "Poor smart kid with obnoxious parents."

My kids do quite well in school. No need to advertise the fact to strangers on a daily basis.

To STRANGERS!!!!!

 

[JVelasquez]

I have a 'my beagle is smarter than your honor student' magnet on my car

 

[jc040404]

I haven't read the entire thread, but how do these stickers come to be? My school never had them, and ds is only in K. Is it something the parent is searching for/buying, or something the child brings home from school like the honor ribbons my school had? I'm far from a bumper sticker fan, but I'd also have a tough time saying no to one if it was presented to me by him. I imagine the child must be proud of it in this case, right? I've always assumed it was something they were given at school, so I've never looked down on them or understood why they would upset someone.

 

[Family Fun Mom]

I haven't read the entire thread, but how do these stickers come to be? My school never had them, and ds is only in K. Is it something the parent is searching for/buying, or something the child brings home from school like the honor ribbons my school had? I'm far from a bumper sticker fan, but I'd also have a tough time saying no to one if it was presented to me by him. I imagine the child must be proud of it in this case, right? I've always assumed it was something they were given at school, so I've never looked down on them or understood why they would upset someone.

Mine came from the school along with an award certificate and the school newsletter where the Honor Roll students are listed.

 

[POPCITY]

I haven't read the entire thread, but how do these stickers come to be? My school never had them, and ds is only in K. Is it something the parent is searching for/buying, or something the child brings home from school like the honor ribbons my school had? I'm far from a bumper sticker fan, but I'd also have a tough time saying no to one if it was presented to me by him. I imagine the child must be proud of it in this case, right? I've always assumed it was something they were given at school, so I've never looked down on them or understood why they would upset someone.

I'm with you, I don't ever really see them around here, but I've wondered where they come from. I do know that if DS brought one home, and was proud and excited about it, and wanted me to put it on my car, you can bet that I would! I just don't see why people care about some other person's bumper sticker.

 

[Robinrs]

I just read the first and last page of this thread and find it hysterical that people who would not display a bumper sticker for about one hundred people to see don't mind posting it on an internet site!!

I would NEVER do that and both of my little darlings are GENIUSES~~

 

[disykat]

I just read the first and last page of this thread and find it hysterical that people who would not display a bumper sticker for about one hundred people to see don't mind posting it on an internet site!!

I would NEVER do that and both of my little darlings are GENIUSES~~

Not showing it around town where you know everyone is totally different than discussing it on an annonymous forum. The reason our own kid's grades were brought into it was part of the discussion - someone challenged that perhaps all the people who don't like them have kids who are not on honor roll.

 

[torinsmom]

Not showing it around town where you know everyone is totally different than discussing it on an annonymous forum. The reason our own kid's grades were brought into it was part of the discussion - someone challenged that perhaps all the people who don't like them have kids who are not on honor roll.

Yeah, in response to that poster, I was thinking I should get a bumper sticker that reads "My learning disabled student has a higher IQ than your honor student". Like I said earlier, I made honor roll almost my whole school career and didn't even study. For many kids, it's just a matter of them having the right type of intelligence, and that intelligence isn't always across the board. I know quite a few honor roll students who have no common sense whatsoever. My son makes decent grades, but his social skills are amazing, and he is so intuitive, it sometimes scares me. I know he will go far in life, because his intelligence is across the board, and I don't need a bumper sticker to let people know I am proud of him. If someone else needs one, that's their prerogative. I don't HATE them,as the title says, but I find them annoying.

 

[Acklander]

I just read the first and last page of this thread and find it hysterical that people who would not display a bumper sticker for about one hundred people to see don't mind posting it on an internet site!!

I would NEVER do that and both of my little darlings are GENIUSES~~

I think for me the difference would be what my kids see. We have too many special snowflakes who think the world revolves around them. The mommy and me generation is now hitting the workforce and all that extra attention and praise is showing, and not in a good way. I'm not blaming the bumper stickers for it, but I'm blaming the attitude that goes along with it. The "Everyone, look how great my kid is!" attitude. You, as an adult, may see it as just a bumper sticker. Kids see stuff like this differently. Kids naturally see the world as revolving around them, and it's my job as a parent to help them see they are just one in a very big world. This one is very important to me, and a select few other relatives and friends, but to the rest of the world - not so much. I want to validate and celebrate my kids achievements - but not too much. I don't think that's healthy.