Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World

From trophies for every child who participates to teens walking around with selfie sticks and counting how many people are following their Twitter and Facebook accounts, it's no wonder that our culture produces entitled children. And we as parents want our children to be happy. We are quick to give our children the things they want, make them the center of our lives, and fix their mistakes and problems. We may not recognize how these things are contributing to the attitude of entitlement. In this timely book full of practical advice, Kristen Welch (writer of the parenting blog We Are THAT Family) shares her family's journey of changing their attitudes (and not just the kids'!) from entitlement to gratefulness. Ten chapters cover such topics as Wants vs. Needs, Seven Ways We Parents Miss the Boat, Making Smart Choices about Technology, Cultivating Obedience, and Gratitude is a Choice. Each chapter identifies factors contributing to entitlement; offers advice on how to handle situations differently to instead cultivate better attitudes which will go against the flow of the culture around us. Chapters close with specific strategies for parents themselves as well as for parents to implement with toddlers/preschoolers, elementary aged children, and Tweens/Teens. Though the author herself is coming from a Christian perspective, the tips in this book will be helpful to anyone looking to combat the sense of entitlement in their kids, no matter what their basis or personal reasons. Appendices in the back include a well-conceived cell phone contract for parents to have with their children; a sample Christian Parent Manifesto; and a list of Recommended Resources. A discussion guide follows with questions to think about yourself, to talk over with your spouse, or to examine together in a small group study. Steph