In days gone by, the world was a nicer place to be. If someone held open a door, you said thank you. If someone gave you a gift or invited you to supper, you sent a thank you note. If you received a card or a letter, you wrote back.
Frankly that's how it still is in our house. The kids send thank-you notes (okay I write Gracey's but she colors on them) when they receive gifts. Sometimes they call the giver as well to say thank you. We say thank you to strangers who compliment us or help us somehow. Scott and I refuse to raise ungrateful people.
But the world around us is so ungrateful. Actually our culture has raised up an entire generation of young people who think they are entitled to life's perks. And parents everywhere are feeding this entitlement by buying every little thing their kid desires. It's sickening.
And this is more than just material entitlement and ungratefulness. Youth and young adults are expecting the rest of us to do more for them as if they are somehow worthy of slaves. And I can't believe the number of teenagers who don't even have jobs! What is going on in this world?
Adam told me the other day that he didn't want to have to do any work around the house like clearing the table after supper. I didn't get angry. I just said, "That's fine because I don't feel like cooking supper, making lunch, doing the laundry or keeping the house clean. I'll trade you." He got it. Every night since then he's thanked me for a delicious meal whether it was breakfast, lunch or dinner.
I'm sorry world but I don't like you. I don't like what you're doing to kids. Clean up your act and learn some manners!
I agree.
ReplyDeleteI think we've all begun to feel a bit entitled.
Though, I feel a bit guilty on the thank you front. I try, but, really, I cannot keep up! I bet I could write 10 thank yous a day for the rest of my life. I'm a bit overwhelmed.
I have wonderful friends and my biggest prayer is that I am as a good a friend to them as they are to me!
I agree with you as well. I feel like the oddball in the family though. My Grandma taught us (though we hated it back then), that if she sent a gift, we better send a thank you note, or we won't get a gift the next holiday/birthday. My H's family give gifts for all holidays, Valentines, Easter, etc. I still mail thank you notes for all of them even though we are now in the same town. I just say that my Grandma wouldn't like it very much if she knew I got something and didn't mail a proper thank you.
ReplyDeleteExactly! It's one thing to slip up, forget or get overwhelmed from time to time, that happens to all of us at one point or another. But by and large, people are just getting rude! And the kids...oh don't even get me started.
ReplyDelete