LIfe Lesson: It's Not All About You

I was thinking about what I would want to teach the little bugger that's growing in my stomach.  I work with a lot of kids with mild and moderate behavioral issues at this new school and one of the biggest problems is entitlement.  There are so many kids these days who believe the world literally should revolve around them.  They pee their pants if they get in trouble for kicking a teacher.  They refuse to eat lunch because "they don't like any of the four choices today".  They refuse to do work because it's not fun.  The list goes on and on about all the things they "don't wanna do". 

I remember when I was a kid, my parents had a barrage of sayings.  One of those was "the world doesn't revolve around you, Kerrie".  There was also the selfless sayings of "money doesn't grow on trees", "make sure there is enough to go around", "treat people the way you want to be treated" and "that's not your problem".  This coming from a kid described by her first (and third grade teacher) as a child who "marched to the beat of her own drum", I repeatedly heard the same message from my parents, "It's not all about you".  While at the time, I think I crossed my arms in annoyance, I have come to find out as an adult that my preference and choices are often times limited by everyone no matter where I am.  I don't get to pick my work hours, or where I park my car, or make people believe that sweat pants could be business casual.  I find myself make little huffy puffy noises when my boss reminds me that sending a schedule (that will inevidably change 13 times by Monday) is not really optional.  I try to find victories in the small things, but in reality, I know I have no control...

I get it.  I don't like rules.  I don't like limits.  I test them, but at the same time, children's entitlement has taken a new extreme level of craziness.  Some children are so spoiled these days, they honestly believe they are not wrong for anything they do.  It's a little scary.  I hear many times a day, "my teacher is just mean" or "I didn't REALLY hit that kid, Mrs. Siegl.... well, not that hard, BUT it's not my fault because......"

So as I ponder my end of the day thoughts, I realize if I am going to do anything right as a parent, I want my kid to know, "It's not all about you".  There are other people, other kids, other feelings, other futures and other thoughts that matter.  Not to sound harsh, but I think we make kids our God these days.  400 outsfits, no limit on toys, any snack they choose... I don't even have this kind of luxery and I am an adult.  I think when people teach their kids to have the world, they also teach them the world revolves around them. 

I am going to have make a constant effort to be "real" with this little nugget.  You are NOT that important, even if you are one of the most important things to me.  You do have to care about others, and you do have to compromise.  I hope to be one of those moms with a pouty kid at Kroger who said "No, you can't have chocolate donuts, chocolate milk, and chocolate ice cream because Daddy doesn't even get that much chocolate".  Maybe if they learn to "get over it" by two or three, and the school counselor won't be calling me because my child urinated on the principle after being put in time out.  But I guess we will see...