Writing for me lately has been like a lump of coal waiting to evolve into a highly compressed, precious gem ready to burst into life.
Work and the nightly battle with the kids have but drained my creative juices. People I know devoid me of inspiration because like I have always said, my life is not my blog.
The waged war of gnomes is the fact they are adjusting to their new found selves and of course the adjustment of mommy working. Although their self exploration has been highly entertaining and tear jerking all at once. To watch two little people at the exact same time grow up, figure themselves out, learn their language and begin to communicate is astounding.
But at the end of the day with work, reading how SO many people want a bailout and then logging online to see others there wanting the same thing and having a feeling of entitlement, I would rather hit delete and of course delve into a steamy, teen romance for a diversion. Because I am proud and adult enough to say that I love me some Twilight.
I have to wonder where people, businesses, and individuals feel this sense of entitlement? Where do they get off thinking the world owes THEM? How do they convince themselves and others of their delusional outlook, to convince that they are entitled to something they never worked towards? How does one go about thinking they are completely untouchable? How they are entitled more than others?
Maybe I am ranting but I was raised to work HARD. By work hard, I mean busting your ass; truthfully, nobly, and painstakingly working hard to get where you are at in life. I am raising my children that if you stumble and fall, you learn to pick yourself up. No one else helps you, you learn to help yourself above all else. A tough lesson as a parent to teach, because we want nothing more than to give our children what we did not have. We do not want to see them in pain, struggling, or watch them give up.
I beg the question of why those of Gen Y and even some Baby Boomers who feel their are entitled? What happened that they feel like just because they show up that they are given a free ride. The same can be said for those who fall into certain criterion who are awarded “assistance” because of financial situation, ethnic background, so on and so forth.
I guess I am lost and as a parent what do we do to help raise our children to be proud to work hard and not feel like they are entitled just because. I cannot recall anyone that may be entitled to anything, not even “certain inalienable” rights. As a parent, adult, person, do you know or are you familiar with the bailout and entitlement types? What values are you teaching your children?
My 19 year old currently holds the title for Deluded Teen Entitlement Queen. Seriously, she has a crown and sash and everything. The works. I hope it’s not that entire generation considering my two youngest girls would still be considered part of that generation even though there’s a huge age gap between their older sibling. Unfortunately though, every single teenager that I’ve encountered (save one) is under the same impression. I can’t keep track of how many times we’ve told her that we actually had to work hard for the things WE had as a teenager. Paid for our own car, worked for our own spending money, scrimped and saved for our own entertainment. Nothing seems to get through.
We can teach and preach but when it comes down to it, sometimes it’s all in the head of the person in question. Their processing of information and understanding (as twisted as we may think) that comes from all sources – not just ourselves as parents. And unfortunately sometimes, the outside influences scream in their ears louder than we can. All we can do is hope that eventually they’ll learn.
Jenine, I still am perplexed at the information processing of teens and people who do not understand the fulfillment and basis of hard work. I could go on and on about my own experiences but I would love to hear how these individuals think that everything is based on instant gratification and it just shows up. I would love to hear what she says…let me know if you ever get your daughter’s POV because that would be fantastic. 🙂
Good post Karie. For most people nothing is handed to them and if they want to succeed they have to go and bust ass to get to where they want to go. Some though are fed with a silver spoon. This usually does not help in the long run. If the spoon gets removed they can’t handle having to work on their own and usually fail.
TIM!!! I so hear that. I have been one to bust my ass my entire life and I rather enjoy it actually. I have a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment for the fact that I work so hard at what I do. The silver spoon I think is a whole animal of it’s own for some and I rather pity them for having such a delusional sense of reality. Because as you said, once the spoon is removed from the equation, the people can’t handle the brutal truth of reality.
I’ll never understand that kind of thinking, I’ve been working since 12. I do believe it comes from a combination of influences and environment. Unfortunately, you are right, there seems to be way too many out there that are looking for the free ride.
UC you could not be more spot on! I do believe this is a nature and nurture instance and I find the situation sad that kids, adults, and people in general feel that they are “entitled” to anything in life.
It is the whole millennial generation phenomenon. They have been raised to believe that they poop gold. Praised for every little thing they do right and even wrong. Search for it on Google there are a ton of articles out there about how to avoid raising future entitlers.
As far as assistance for financial situation I often wish we lived in the world my parents lived in where the average salary of a working-class adult would more than enough afford you to buy a house and even a descent car. It’s a shame that’s not the case anymore. However, I am not familiar with assistance based on ethnicity.
Jill I know that many government backed scholarships used to be (and its been some time since I applied for a college scholarship)driven and based on ethnic background as a form for qualifying for assistance. I also know that is why the government does the monitoring. Not always for research purposes.
I know we all wish for a better world and I too have seen how to avoid raising kids who feel a sense of entitlement. They learn to appreciate even the smallest gifts in life. Holding a door, a smile, courtesy. Amazing how those small courtesies can make a world of difference in life.