Interesting posting today–as always–on “MindBodyDad,” a blog created by my nephew, Brian, who is an OT at Magee Rehabilitation in Philadelphia. The title: “11 Strategies to Raise Kids Who Aren’t Entitled.”
IMHO, entitlement is a major, major problem caused by some parents and consequently affecting all aspects of wider society, including the schools.
I saw it back in the day when parents felt their child was entitled to an A in the classroom, when I knew-and the kid knew-that they had not put in the work. I saw it on the baseball diamond.
“I’m a senior, I should start.”
“Yeah, but you suck.”
(I never really said that, and I cherished the under-talented player who worked hard just to be part of a team.)
I always told the team, “If you might not like the answer, don’t ask the question.”
Some did ask the question, and they received an unvarnished assessment of their current status. Nobody was entitled to anything. And the vast, vast majority of students and baseball players did not suffer from entitlement syndrome because they had been raised to understand that rewards do not come without hard work.
Lucky for me, I don’t have to deal with children who feel entitled to gaming and/or social media access whenever they want it. Give in or battle, parents? Have rules or freelance, depending on the moment? I don’t envy you.
What do entitled kids morph into as adults? “A study published in Personality and Individual Differences found that adults with higher levels of entitlement were more likely to struggle with relationships, workplace conflicts, and dissatisfaction in life.
“The consequences of unchecked entitlement ripple far beyond childhood, creating challenges for the person and society alike.
“In a world of instant gratification, raising kids who are grounded and grateful has never been more important—or more challenging. Left unchecked, this entitlement mindset can lead to a lack of resilience, poor financial habits, and an inability to cope with life’s inevitable struggles.”
So what does this article recommend?
In the next Q-View posting, we will discuss the recommendations.
The Q-View 