Was it really that important?

I think it goes without saying that everyone wants to do good and get great marks and things academically no matter what their age. It's bad enough for the person when they don't do well or make mistakes and it just makes it a thousand fold worse when the most important people to them are not only disappointed in them but show their disappointment through out right criticism and verbal abuse.

Is it really that hard to accept the person for who they are? Or understand that maybe they tried their best and somehow their best just wasn't enough and encourage them to do better next time? We're all people, people of any age or sex make mistakes we're not gods!

Is a mistake or failure really that hard to overlook? Is an "A" or top of the class really that important that a person must be mentally tormented for as long as whoever sees fit? In this case it wasn't just being on top of the rest of the class or recieving an A. It was one damn unrecognized character symbolizing "Banana".. I mean even if it symbolized "God" and it was unrecognized, she was only 3 (technically 2) years old, and what? she doesn't recognize it and you kill the poor kid?! So what, maybe your child isn't the sharpest tool in the shed or maybe not even as smart as your neighbor's kid who's already reading complex novels while he's still in diapers. It's pure crap. And if it's not enough that parents have to be constantly straining their eyes at other peoples gifted kids they have to start comparing their own kids.. The less gifted of the litter gets compared to the smarter prodigies and aside from having to be looked down upon and constantly reminded of their failure they get the added "perk" of walking in the smarter siblings' shadow. Didn't think the world could stoop any lower? Think again, she stoops and though I'm not really surprised anymore she will remain stooping until her end. All the dumping that the "failure" gets and in the end when said "failure" does manage a pretty bang up good job - hell even bring out a couple of flying marks, A's or whatever... They still don't acknowledge that fact. They still go on with their comparing and straining their necks to see what someone else's kid or even your own sibling got. It never seems to occur to them how hard the poor kid could have worked for what they got and how much that poor kid could have suffered and reasoned with theirself that yeah they didn't get as good as so and so but maybe just maybe they'll say "Good Job" or "You did your best and I know you'll try harder next time..." That's what they wait for even if they only get to hear it once, even if it's whispered so low they can barely hear it. They wait for that small phrase or short sentance that shows they are accepted for who they are by those who are important to them....

I'm trying really hard not to get angry, but things like this make my blood boil. Was it really that important? Could they really never accept their daughter because she didn't recognize a stupid symbol? Though all people don't go so far as to kill a person over underachieving I feel that some really do give up on or expect too much from others - we're all humans dammit, live let live and accept it.