This NFL player is confiscating his kids' participation trophies to prove a point

James Harrison
(Image credit: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

It's a common complaint among parents who had to walk a mile in the snow — uphill each way, of course — to get to school: Kids nowadays get awards for everything, even when they lose. Well, stars are just like us, because Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison apparently feels exactly the same way.

He posted a photo of his kids' participation trophies to Instagram on Saturday, but they won't be sticking around for long. He's taking them away because he feels his kids should earn the awards they get in life.

I came home to find out that my boys received two trophies for nothing, participation trophies! While I am very proud of my boys for everything they do and will encourage them till the day I die, these trophies will be given back until they EARN a real trophy. I'm sorry I'm not sorry for believing that everything in life should be earned and I'm not about to raise two boys to be men by making them believe that they are entitled to something just because they tried their best...cause sometimes your best is not enough, and that should drive you to want to do better...not cry and whine until somebody gives you something to shut u up and keep you happy. #harrisonfamilyvaluesA photo posted by James Harrison (@jhharrison92) on Aug 15, 2015 at 10:09am PDT

"I'm sorry I'm not sorry for believing that everything in life should be earned and I’m not about to raise two boys to be men by making them believe that they are entitled to something just because they tried their best," he wrote.

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Julie Kliegman

Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.