Really?

There are a couple of things going off in my spirit today. I am going to pray about both of them and ask your opinion on one at a time, if that's ok?

I have noticed in my own extended family as well as heard from friends and neighbors, that many young people do not have the work-ethic or values of past generations. Oh, you just noticed that, Deb? Well, I guess I've known it intellectually for awhile, but it seems to be more prevalent in my circle of acquaintance lately. Some of the people I know are God-fearing Christians who have raised their children in the church, some of them I have grown up with and know as "good" people, and some are lost in some sort of addiction or lifestyle that keeps them blinded to genuine love.

I only say this to point out that the "me-first" mentality of many young people crosses all lines of social status, wealth, race and religion. I'm not making a judgement against any individual, group or even parenting style. Many youth in general are lacking just plain-old common sense knowledge. There seems to be less focus on life skills in our technological society. My nephew can program a computer but not run a dishwasher, for example!

Whether you know someone who is 16 yrs old and in school, or 26 and back home with parents, the thinking seems to be the same: "What? I gotta pay for that?! But I thought it was just my right to have nice things, to drive a good car, to go where I want and do what I please. As long as I don't murder someone or something like that, good things should just fall into my lap, right?"

We, as parents, helped foster this attitude by always wanting to give our children "what we never had growing up". But see, one thing we never had is their sense of entitlement! I raised two daughters to adulthood as a single mom. I did the best I could and made sure they knew they were loved, valuable, and had all the niceties I could afford. (Which wasn't that much. But what I couldn't give them financially, I made up for with leniency.) Now I am raising a son just entering his teen years. I think I have learned what not to do and I rely on God alot more these years. Yet, I still hear him say things that make me pause and ask, "where did he get that idea?"

What are we teaching our children about life? About money? About responsibility? Do they know that absolutely EVERYTHING we need to exist on earth costs us something? Work, effort, money? A silly thing that happened this week hit the nail right on the head of this subject: My 4yr old granddaughter spent the week with me and she has a habit of wasting tons of toilet paper and using every tissue in a box to wipe her nose ONCE. (She is only 4 after all!) I finally had to slow her down a little. She says, "But Grandma, you can just go to the store and get more tissue." When I told her I wouldn't have money to do that for a couple more days, she asked, "Even toilet paper cost money? Sheesh, don't people know we need it?" Well, yes Aliyah, even toilet paper does cost money and somebody has to pay for it!

Ok, she is only four years old, but what about the 18 or 25-year-old who has never had to buy their own toilet paper? Or do their own laundry? Or pay for a hair cut or a pair of jeans? What are we teaching our children by giving them every modern convenience and then paying for their leisure on top of it? I've got more to say on this topic tomorrow. Right now I have to go microwave my son some dinner...

Thoughts? Stories? Share them with me!

Scripture reference:
1st Thessalonians 4:11-12
"Make it your ambition to live a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody." (NIV)