It’s no secret that kids today have more than ever before. The majority of the elementary school classrooms I walk into have children with much nicer phones than I have. They also have ipods and all sorts of other things we didn’t have as children. They have no concept of the value of a dollar because things simply get handed to them without any expectation. As a parent we want to provide our children with as much as we can, but we also want to teach them the value of hard work. If you feel that your child may be struggling with a sense of entitlement, here are a few tips that you can do as a parent to help avoid this sensation.
When you think about the things in your life that are most important to you, you likely think of things like your family, your friends, perhaps even your hobbies. However, I’m betting you didn’t think twice about your material things. While it’s nice to have nice things, they are not what is most important to you. Remind your children to value their relationship over their “stuff.”
Make your child earn the things they want most. The harder they work for something the more they will appreciate it. Teach them that things don’t just appear, you have to earn them. If what they want most is out of their reach, make a deal with them that they have to earn a certain percentage of it before you will help out. This keeps them from buying every toy they see. If they know they are going to have to work for it, they will think twice about how much they really want it.
Teach your kids about gratitude. There are times throughout the year that your children are going to be spoiled. My son is the only grandchild and thus, is often doted upon by aunts, uncles, friends, and grandparents. Remind your children to be thankful for what they have. Talk to them about other children who have less than them and let them choose a few toys to donate that they don’t play with very much anymore. This keeps your house from getting cluttered with toys that haven’t been played with in months and helps other less fortunate children at the same time.