Justin Moore Criticizes Giving Children Participation Ribbons: 'I Think It's Terrible'

Justin Moore hopes his four children participate in sports throughout their childhood, but he also hopes they don't get rewarded just for showing up. The Arkansas native is speaking out against the idea of giving children participation ribbons, just for being present, claiming they actually do more harm than good in the long run.

"I think it's terrible, personally," Moore shared with his record label, Big Machine. "I wouldn't be the man I am today if I didn't experience … Here's the thing, as you relate that to sports it's all about, to me, accountability. And it's important in life that you understand and learn how to fail and how to succeed, because you can be good or bad at either. You're gonna lose a lot in life and you're gonna win some. I think it teaches you how to do both of those things because you're going have to know how to do it.

"And the other thing that I think is awful about the participation awards stuff is, you have to know that the work you put in results in one thing," he continued. "If you put a lot of work in and effort and energy into something, you're going to reap the rewards of that. And if you don't, it's just the opposite. And so, I think it's failing our kids when we have that mentality personally."

Moore has served as a coach for his oldest two daughters' softball teams, where he is just another parent, but certainly not a famous one.

"Well, to me, I'm always the kids' dad," Moore told PopCulture.com. "And to my team and my set of parents and coaches, all that, I'm just me. Sometimes to other teams and those people, I'm the singer. People always go, 'Oh, man you seem so normal.' I'm like, 'Hell, when I look in the mirror I am normal.' That's just me.

"That's the thing about it, when you do this for a living, I think any singer would tell you this or anybody who has any sort of fame – when you look at yourself in the mirror, you just see you," he added. "That doesn't ever change. It's the way that other people see you that changes, not the way you see yourself, necessarily."

Moore will hit the road next year with Tracy Lawrence for his Late Nights and Longnecks Tour, in support of his latest album. Find dates on Moore's website.

Photo Credit: Getty images / John Lamparski