How to deal with teen entitlement.
In today’s society, kids seem to expect parents to provide expensive gadgets and designer clothes without a thought as to who or how they will be paid for. Some parents will go into debt to be sure their teen is keeping up with their peers, while others might be able to afford — and of course there are those that simply just can’t afford this lifestyle. They might be the lucky ones. Why? They are in a position where they will learn the lessons of accountability and responsibility.
What happened to old fashioned work ethic?
With shows like “Rich Kids of Beverly Hills” not to mention the “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” that glorify teens that have extravagant lives and demanding over the top birthday parties we’ve become inundated with the idea that our teens need to be pampered and spoiled beyond reason.
This mindset has led to teens believing that they deserve the most expensive clothes, cars, and cell phones, and that these things should just be handed to them on demand. The reality of it, though, is that our teenagers should be learning the importance of working hard for what they want, and one way to impart this lesson and have them reap the benefits of it is by having them work a part-time job.
There are numerous lessons and values teens will learn from working:
- Time management: Having to balance school and work will teach teens early on the importance of prioritizing responsibilities and managing their time. The sooner they learn how to do this the better off they’ll be when they leave for college and eventually branch out into the real world of full-time jobs and responsibilities.
- Help build a resume: Being able to list work experience on a resume will help your teen get ahead of the crowd when it comes time to apply for college or find a full-time job. It will show prospective colleges and employers that your teen is a motivated, hard-working individual and will set them above the people who have no prior work experience.
- Financial independence: There’s a certain satisfaction that is brought about by being able to buy something you want with your own hard-earned money, and having a job that brings in a paycheck will allow teens to learn how to effectively manage their money and rely on themselves and not their parents for different purchases. Learning to manage money is a life skill that everyone needs to have, so learning it early on will only benefit your teenager.
- Develop indispensable life skills: Your teen will learn very quickly the importance of working as a team and having solid communication skills, two talents that are transferrable into almost any industry or experience. The experiences that they have, both good and bad, from a part-time job will help them to become better-rounded as an individual.
- Learn the value of hard work: Unfortunately hard work is becoming more under-valued these days, especially with teens, and it’s important to teach our kids that hard work is a trait to be admired and respected. Learning to work for what you want is an advantageous tool to have.
While your teens may complain about having to get a job initially, it’s likely that they’ll end up thanking you for it in the long run. The lessons they’ll learn from having to work a part-time job are irreplaceable.
Read about 5 Ways to Teach Your Teen about Budgeting.
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