ENTITLED TO WHAT?

Sadly today I hear the word” entitled” thrown around entirely too much. Children are taught that they are ” entitled” to many things, and they are also led to believe that many things in life will be given to them regardless of their effort.

Tests today in schools have been downgraded to show up, fill in some blanks, sign your name, and you pass. Some schools have went so far as to do away with grades altogether. There is no reason for any student to strive for excellence. This misguided thinking seems to come from the fact that we do not want children to be emotionally distraught if they fail. While egos and personalities are fragile in our youth, the hard cold reality of adulthood must be prepared for while one is young.

The world does not care that you went to a school that did not require excellence – – it does. The world does not care that you went to a school that did not require you to work – – it does. While the school you went to may not reward achievement, the world of adulthood does. If you’re not prepared or educated to compete with people who have been you will find the world of adulthood to be a hard, cold, cruel place. Even in America, the land of plenty, excellence and achievement in education are rewarded mightily. Teaching your children that they are” entitled” to a good life, and they need not plan, work, set goals, and strive for achievement is the single biggest mistake you will ever make.

The only thing I have ever found, even in America, that one is entitled to is opportunity. The opportunity to educate yourself, strive for excellence and achievement is truly the only” entitlement” one may ever receive. The good news is that if you have a stellar education and work, plan, set goals, and achieve them you can expect to be rewarded greatly.

I will leave you with this thought, the single greatest gift you can give to your children is to not make their life easy, it will not serve them well in adulthood if you do.