Competition obsession

In our overly competitive society we are surrounded by images and media which remind us on a daily basis how important it is to always be at the top of the game. The Biggest Loser, Survivor, The Next Top Model, these shows share the fact that they are all reality shows and are based on competition. I can recognize that these shows may be helpful to some people, maybe even inspirational. Unfortunately these shows are also on primetime tv and are probably watched by children as young as toddlers all over the country. As a child/ adolescent, I felt a lot of pressure from the people around me that I respected, academically and athletically the expectation was to be #1. I rarely disappointed myself, but often felt like I just wasn't quite good enough for those people that were important to me. I fear the competitively obsessed society for my children. I want them to do the things they enjoy, as 'polly anna' as it sounds, and I know there will be pressures in their lives. Where do we go from here? We can not shelter them, nor do I want to or intend to, but I want to instill a confidence in them so that they feel comfortable in there own bodies and minds and are comfortable sharing their talents with others. We do not allow our children to watch these shows, in fact our tv is rarely on when they are awake, but as they join society I wonder if these pressures are inevitable?