The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree...

We're traveling 1100 miles to Northern Iowa today from Albuquerque, NM. This morning on our way out of the mid-way hotel, we stopped for gas where I had one of the best laughs I've had in quite some time.

As we pulled to the pump, a family was on the other side. Dad was pumping with a twisted, bothered look on his face. The kids were running around the car and climbing on the island between the pumps. As I climed out to pump my gas and do my thing, it happened.

The following conversation occurred...

The youngest asked a simple question, "Dad, can we go in the store?"

Dad, "No."

Son, flashing his little wallet, "But, I've got my money."

Dad, "No, put your money away."

Son, "Common Dad, I'll give you a dollar."

Dad, "I said No, we're not going in."

Son, "A Dollar, I'll pay."

Dad, "Get in the car!"

Then, as I stood there laughing, Dad caught my eye. He looked at our Suburban and told me, "I've got 3 kids I'd like to stuff in your car and run away..."

I laughed.

Wow! Do kids inherantly learn the ability to buy because they have cash in their pockets? I don't think so.

I believe there are two forces at work:
1. Marketing and Advertising masters are working diligently to brand our children to buy, buy, buy their products. They are doing a brilliant job of teaching our children and adults that we have 'earned' and 'deserve' to treat ourselves.
2. Parents need to teach children, through their example, to slow down on our levels of consumption. The United States is a consumer nation. This phenominon is a virus called 'entitlement' changing the economics of our country. If parents don't learn to stop consuming, entitlement will take over more than we've already seen.

Mom, Dad, I'm sorry, but the truth of the matter is that raising your children is completely up to you. It always has been and always will be. The cycle goes like this...man meets woman, man marries woman, child comes into the world, parents raise children, children go into world, repeat...

When children are allowed to manipulate to get what they want, parents are failing. It's time parents become parents and discipline their children.