Is this fair? School reading competition

[RosieLemonade]

There has been an extreme reading competition at school Basically children had to take pictures of themselves reading in extreme situations. One child posted themselves reading on a horse. Is it fair they win as not many children would have had the opportunity to take a picture like that?

The school won't pick something like that for the winner... they'll pick someone doing something random like hanging upside down reading or doing a headstand.

Did that child win? We did this - one of mine read in a phone box she found, the other read on a rock.
Do you actually care?

Schools I've worked in don't choose a winner, normally do a raffle with all participants having a chance

No, but they can probably do something different instead. On a roof, dangling over the parapet of a multi-story, sitting in the central reservation of the dual carriageway - arguably more extreme than reading sat on a horse, and just as stupid.

It’s just to promote reading, and to show it can be done anywhere (dangerous on a horse though - a bit like reading while driving!)

I think the whole ‘it’s not fair’ attitude is harmful to children. Encourage them to do something interesting. I saw a picture of a child reading in a river a few days ago. Cost nothing.

What does it matter? It's just a kids fun thing.

@parrotonmyshoulder

It’s just to promote reading, and to show it can be done anywhere (dangerous on a horse though - a bit like reading while driving!)

Hardly! Presumably they're not reading while sailing around a xc course (and if they do bloody well done!) You've no idea about the temperament of the horse or if there's someone stood off camera ready to grab the horse should is decide to bolt

@parrotonmyshoulder

It’s just to promote reading, and to show it can be done anywhere (dangerous on a horse though - a bit like reading while driving!)

Someone was holding the horse!

Oh good. I was joking.

Just encourage your child FFS. More or less everywhere you can sell as "extreme" is somewhere not absolutely everyone necessarily has at home. Should we also ban photos taken on holiday or on trampolines or in their own garden because not everyone has them?

The focus on fairness is really damaging i think. Why not encourage your child to be happy for the child reading on a horse as they have found an interesting place for the challenge. And then concentrate on finding their own interesting place from within their own life.

The emphasis on fairness and equalness sets children up for a life of unhappiness and bitterness when they realise that very rarely are things fair in reality.

YABU

It’s just a silly kids competition! It doesn’t matter that they won’t all have the chance to read on a horse, they can do other things. Some of them probably have the chance to do things the horse riding child doesn’t.

What is the prize? Is it a palace or something? Because if it is just a five quid gift voucher then it is supposed to be just a bit of fun.

Well, it's not fair if the winner is hanging out of the attic roof as many children don't have an attic, or sitting in the bath as some only have showers, or in a rose garden because some only grow tulips! Honestly, the horse is the least of your worries!

Does that mean that if you had a fantastic random idea that no one else could do it wouldn't be fair? Of course it's fair. Think of something random, that's the whole idea!!!

Why on earth shouldn't someone take a picture of themselves reading on a horse?

We would have but our horse wouldn't cooperate.

Stop being so competitive.

Life isn’t fair though is it . Just find something relevant to your child
It’s supposed to be a bit of fun

We had one of these pre lockdown.

My teenaged nephew is a photoshop whizz.

We sent the school several shots of DS reading cuddled up with dinosaurs, superheroes and historical figures. The judging panel did find it amusing, I think we did get a highly commended for one of them.

What if someone took a picture of their kid reading while roller skating and your child didn't have roller skates? Would that be fair?
I think you're taking something that's just a bit of fun far too seriously.

@Taxevasionpredicament

The focus on fairness is really damaging i think. Why not encourage your child to be happy for the child reading on a horse as they have found an interesting place for the challenge. And then concentrate on finding their own interesting place from within their own life.

The emphasis on fairness and equalness sets children up for a life of unhappiness and bitterness when they realise that very rarely are things fair in reality.

This

I thought it was extreme books, like a 7 year old reading Proust

God I HATE 'extreme reading' and 'read in an interesting place' because actually IS the child reason or just getting mum or dad to take a picture?

Wouldn't "Just read a book" be a refreshing change of pace for World Book Day? I don't think I've ever known a WBD where the primary task has been to read a book.

I just think it's all very bizarre. No one actually reads doing these weird things so what's the point. Even for the photo they just pick up the book click the camera and put the book down, no one actually sits on a horse and reads for ten minutes do they? I just don't understand how this is encouraging kids to read, it's just encouraging them to take unusual photos IMO.

@goose1964

I thought it was extreme books, like a 7 year old reading Proust

Or 1984?