Laketia W. Carrell, a licensed professional counselor in private practice, sent this in.
Old fashioned it may be, but there is something charming about young people learning to say “thank you” and “please.” These are words you rarely hear coming out of the mouths of “brats.” Most often you hear them saying “I want,” “You gave her/him, and I didn’t get…” “you don’t tell me what to do…” “why can’t I?” They stomp and push their way through life.
This trend of entitlement, or overly empowered children, is a national epidemic. Children, teenagers, and even adults across the nation are throwing temper tantrums. These problems are easily solved when children are less than 10 years old. If we listen carefully, in peaceful times, that is, when children aren’t throwing tantrums, and demanding things, we can do a lot to extinguish this entitlement syndrome.
Listen to your children carefully. The sooner you act, the better your results will be. When they say, “Give me,” don’t give anything until they ask for what they want. You want to hear something like, “May I have… please?” This language acknowledges your right to say “no,” or “yes.” If they pout when you say “no,” inform them they need practice accepting the word “no.” And you say “no” more often, so that they can get used to hearing it.
This can be done without hollering, screaming, fussing, yelling, and getting frustrated. Children should only ask for something once or twice. Asking for things over and over, is a way of wearing the parent down to get what they want, and eventually you won’t even put up a fight. Put on your boxing gloves, get in the ring, and fight. Prevent your child from becoming a “brat.”