The entitlement generation

I am not a parent. Nor do I want to be. But, our family needed help and my boyfriend and I took in his niece and nephew to our home full-time until their Mom could get back on her feet. Boy have I learned a lot about the world of children. I give it to you parents, it is a bit over whelming at first. Trying to teach them right, making sure you keep up with what they being taught in school and that it is what you want them taught, etc, etc. Wow, it is more than another full-time job that is for sure. But also what I have learned is that the world of children is much different today then it was when I was a kid and I was a kid not too long ago.

I have noticed two things, kids thought process is the same... they still want the latest stuff, they still want to be the cool kid and they still want to use toys and clothes and material things to do it. I remember asking my Mom for stuff, wanting Guess jeans or Stussey t-Shirts, but there was a difference…My Mother told me no. Things like that were a luxury we couldn’t afford and the famous saying was, "You don’t need things to be happy. You'll learn that what you have even now is much more than you need." I remember that lesson and I have decided to heed that advice in my life. And I believe it is the key to my happiness.

The difference with today's children isn’t the children; it's the Parents. The parents don’t say no, they say yes. Even if the Parents can't afford it, they still give it to their children and what does that teach them; It's ok to be in debt to have the things you want. Which is the key to unhappiness. We are teaching our children that it is ok to be in debt, it is ok to be a slave to that debt and it is ok to live your life to acquire things. Which, user in the nanny state and that’s where you get the following of the socialist movement by young people that is disguising it’s self as democracy.

What happened to saving for something before you got it? Instead people put it on a credit card because they want it now. Then Parents act shocked that their kids want things now…well that would be because you are showing them that is the way to act. The single best parenting tool is to live the word you preach. If I don’t think my children should lie, then I shouldn’t lie. If I want my kids to be respectful of people then I need to show that respect and appreciation so they will learn it based on my actions. The "Do as I say not as I do" approach to Parenting will never work.

But parents just don't care, they want things, so both parents work out of the home so they can afford things, instead of living more modestly and having one parent stay at home. People have children out of wedlock and then separate and the broken home becomes the norm.

We, the adults, are to blame for this mess we are in and the entitlement generation. We have taught our children to expect things. No chores, no contributing, they just get money; they just get things when we feel like we want to buy their love. How about making them earn it, making time with them instead of giving them something to make up for our lack of time with them. Spending some time getting to know your children and creating that bond instead of handing over an Ipod or new Iphone would mean so much more.

I know one thing, I may not be a favorite Aunt by not giving the niece and nephew things, but they will grow up better kids because I would have given them something more valuable then any item, love and time. That is the best gift of all. If our country turned back to some old school values, we would be the country we once were, but until we take responsibility for what we have done to this generation it will never change.