Our Children Are Becoming A Me-Now Society: But Who's Raising Them?

One of the things I hate about our society is how we are a society that wants the world and wants it now! We want to watch our shows, we want to have air-conditioning, we want to have a car that has all the modern amenities, even my own infertility issues is because I WANT IT AND I WANT IT NOW!

The thing is, I often hear people, myself included, talking about this generation as a bunch of spoiled self-indulged people. The thing I have to ask is, well, who is raising them to be this way? Maybe we as parents need to step back and take a good look in the mirror before we start judging this generation that has not yet shown its potential.

This generation has so much promise, they have so many things they could accomplish, so many technological advances, transportation that would allow them to change cultures that are struggling. You know what, they may just do that! They may change this world... but, what have we done?

If we want our children to become active world-changers then what better way than to become active in changing the world ourselves. Pave the way, be the example.

Let's face it, our children do have a lot of luxuries most of us did not have. My own daughter on our recent trip to California was bummed when we switched hotel rooms from a luxury spacious suite to a luxury less-spacious suite. Although these children have a lot of things that make life "easier" they have a lot more that makes life harder.

Yes, we had bullying, we had gossip, we had cliques, but these kids are facing a generation where
one stupid decision can travel through the school in less than 24 hours via texts and the Internet. Yes, we had pressures to look good, be thin, etc, but take a look at what was considered beautiful in the eighties then what is considered beautiful now. In the eighties you'll find tv moms with frizzy hair, average to good looking face, bodies that were beautiful, but attainable. But now, the tv moms are flawless, thanks to advanced make-up and hair products, good lighting, plastic surgery, and the wonders of photo-shop. Our children's idea of what they should look like is so unrealistic.

My point is not to digress, but point out our children have it hard. They may be pampered in many ways, but that's only because they are losing sight, just as we have on what is important. They are put at risk for a lot of things in a way, we can't truly relate. But it's not too late for the children that are growing up, they have so much potential. They just need more people to look up to who truly make a difference, rather than just another good singer with flawless skin (after hours of make-up and photo-editing).

So what does this mean for me? Well, I think I have some things I need to be reanalyzing in my own life. Walk away from this me-now mentality, and maybe just maybe I'll be able to teach my daughter how to do the same.