Entitlement: A Mother’s Day Gift
By MQQNIE
I am a single mother, of a blind daughter. We have been on our own for a very long time now, just her and I. I have taught my daughter to be humble, and to never feel above anyone else for ANY reason. As I look around me in this age of entitlement, I see so many of our millennial children growing up thinking they are better than others simply because. Is this how they were raised? Is this what society has taught them? Or is this what their mothers and fathers have taught them?
I’ve recently seen a few Facebook graphics that really irked me. One was an article, it spoke of a family; mother, husband, children. Many parents today feel it is the “right” thing to do to feed the children first, and take care of them before their husband, many times before even their own selves. In my eyes, this is a misguided way to raise one’s children. We are raising these beautiful beings to be a PART of society, not to be ABOVE society. Another recent graphic I’ve seen on Facebook says “it doesn’t matter what’s going on with me, as long as my children are okay, I’m good”. How is this teaching our precious children a valuable lesson? Are we teaching our children to abuse themselves in order to take care of or love another? A person MUST take care of themselves before they are ANY good to take care of anyone else. A person must love themselves first, before they can give love to anyone else. How is abusing yourself as a parent just to make sure your children are fine, teaching them anything of value?
Another article recently read, a mother writes an open letter to her children to tell them they are NOT so great. This mother went to a dance recital, seats were not to be saved, but one young child had a group of her family members come, blocking over 20 seats “saved” for that one family. The huge family brought in food. There was a rule saying no food or drinks in the recital. This child and their entire family simply broke the rules with no concern at all to those around them. This child is probably spoiled, which is not necessarily a bad thing in and of itself, but to be so spoiled so much that you think everything SHOULD be handed to you on a silver platter is not teaching your child a valuable lesson, nor is it teaching them to function successfully in a society.
So, to end this, as a Mother on this Mother’s Day, tell your children they are NOT perfect. Teach your children to be humble and gentle of spirit, and teach your children they are not better than anyone. Teach them to serve, teach them to love, and teach them to be compassionate. Teach them how to function in society as an able, caring, and loving individual. And maybe someday, we can end this “age of entitlement” and our world can change, for the better. Give yourself a Mother’s Day gift and take care of YOU so you can better take care of your precious children. Happy Mother’s Day!!