I'm sure many of you have been labeled the mean mom or dad because you told your kid they couldn't do something. As much as you wanted to give in and keep the title of the cool, fun parent, you were forced to stick to your guns. Your child probably gave you a look that broke your heart into a million pieces, but you held your own and didn't fall for it this time.
Well, you're not alone in that battle. My kids pout all the time because I won't let them do whatever they want to do. Their world crumbles even more when I refuse to buy the latest expensive pair of shoes for them. They are even crazy enough to tell me what their friends have, and then they ask, "Mama, why can't I get the latest cool stuff?" And that's when it happens... That's when I give them a life lesson (It's also when they hate they even asked the question.)
I saw a Facebook meme from a parent to his child. It said something like: "I'm not trying to give you everything I wish I had as a kid. I'm trying to teach you everything I wish I knew." That really spoke volumes on so many levels. The problem that so many of us have faced with finances, credit, and other issues stemmed from a lack of knowledge. Some of us weren't taught the reason we should have good credit, a nice savings, and investments. We just felt like our parents were being mean because they didn't buy us the latest gadgets like our friends' parents did. Meanwhile, their friends have bad grades and bad behavior.
That's another problem. If we reward the kids just because they're breathing, they have nothing to work towards. Therefore, they have no need to strive for excellence. Not only are not being taught to hustle, make sound financial decisions, and save, but they aren't even required to behave in school and keep their grades up. This further means that they may not be eligible to receive scholarships, college acceptance, or good-paying jobs. You see the future damage here?
As parents, it's our duty to mold our children properly. We must teach them the importance of greatness, and we have to explain ourselves. We can't just tell the children to do something without giving them a solid explanation behind it. The lack of communication can bring about defiance, poor decisions, resentment, and so many other issues. It's time that we educate our children within our homes to prepare them for a life of abundance. We are not in a contest to receive the Cool Parent/Best Friend award. We are simply trying to better society by raising grateful, intelligent, hardworking, respectful children. Stop giving them latest gadgets and start giving them latest education.