I Don't Get It

(sigh)

I don't get it. I really don't get it. What is wrong with the youth of America today? I don't think I've ever seen a more entitled and demanding group of people. I think I've become more aware of it now that I'm a parent.....I don't know, maybe not. Maybe I'm more aware of it because I'm not blind or deaf. It's really something. And you know what makes it worse? I think 99% of the attitude comes from the parents. The parents are the ones showing these kids how to act and how to behave. These parents are training their kids to be obnoxious. It's appalling to me.

On the flip side, I know some really really great kids. I know some kids who are polite (and know how to use thank you notes) and respectful and have character. Granted, these kids go to my church, but I have to ask, where are more of these kids? Where are the Trevors, Tiffanys, Jessicas, Shanes and Brians of the world?

I wish that I could gather up all of the entitled kids and put them in a room and lecture them all day. Wanna know what I would tell them?:

• You are NOT the center of everyone's universe.....perhaps your parents', but not everyone's.
• We get it......you're dramatic because you need and crave attention and being dramatic gives you exactly what you want: people staring at you. Guess what? When you finally grow up and get into the real world, people are going to laugh in your face. You have a really long road ahead of you with this attitude.
• There's nothing authentic about you. You don't even know who you are. You're one person at school, you're one person at church, you're one person with your "friends"......it's a sad place to be in when you don't know who you are, so really, I pity you.
• You're not the first person to accomplish anything. There have always been and will always be people who accomplish more than you. You are not the smartest, you are not the first kid attending college, you are not the first kid graduating from college, you are not the first kid getting married, you are not the best at everything. There are people who are smarter, prettier and all-around just better than you, so get off your high horse and come back to reality.

I know this post seems harsh. It's not intended to be, okay, maybe it is. But I can honestly say, it's not geared toward one person. It's just a combination of things I've observed over the past three months. I want parents to stand up and be the parent. It can't be mom-the-girlfriend or dad-the-buddy. Parents have to be parents and parents need to show their children how to be good, honest, authentic, respectful, loyal, courteous and humble human beings.

The future of our country depends on it.