Over recent years our self-centeredness and narcissism as a generation has skyrocketed.
There are more self-help books, business books, and ‘how to get what you want’ books out there than there used to be.
How do we get less self-focused:
Mental shift
View physical and tangible things as privileges and not as a birthright. Kids seem to think that iPads, smart phones and the internet are their birthright to have access to, but in reality it is a privilege. To withhold such electronic or other privileges is not depriving your child, it is setting realistic expectations.
Get rid of the sense of entitlement
Give your child the opportunity and desire to earn whatever it is that they want. Whether that be an allowance or a real job as a teenager, allowing your child to work for the extras in their life will make them more grateful for what they do have.
Give your children a financial sense of reality
If you send your child to school with all of the latest technological gadgets, instantly buy them a car, or just provide their every wish, they will have a warped sense of how much everything costs. Allowing them to work for their extras will teach them responsible financial behavior, and downplay their sense of entitlement
Examine yourself as a parent
Kids will do what we do, and not as we say. If you expect your kids to follow in your footsteps, you have to live it. Giving back and spending time with those who have less than you is a great place to start. If your kids see that you as the parent don’t think the world revolves around you, they will most likely mimic that attitude.
