As parents, we have so many responsibilities on our shoulders. Not only do we strive to make sure our kids know that we love them, but we are also focused on making sure their needs are met and that they grow into responsible young adults who will be a value to the communities they live in. For me, that last one is one of the biggest.
Yes, it is very important that my children know how much I love them and of course I do everything in my power to ensure their basic needs are met and that they are protected. However, I believe that it isn’t my job to give them everything they want. There is a difference between wants and needs. And in order to make sure my children grow to be respectable, hard-working, responsible young adults, I have to make sure that I don’t just hand them everything to their heart’s desire. That is a sure-fire way to raise a spoiled, arrogant child who will grow into an arrogant young adult who expects the finer things in life without having to work for them.
I know that the majority of adults feel like the younger generation is the “entitled” generation. Meaning it’s full of kids who feel like they deserve the finer things just because. The issue is that parents today seem to think kids just naturally grow into responsible young adults with good work-ethic and they don’t. Having a strong work-ethic and the drive to achieve goals are both learned behaviors. It’s not something kids are naturally born with.
I believe that parents need to start working to instill these traits when their children are little. However, when working with young children, parents have to look for ways to make it fun. Below are a few …