I'm not going to even try to be modest here. I'm going to start out by saying that if anyone has ever labeled me anything in this life, it's that I'm spoiled rotten. I will admit, I do live an extremely privileged life. Ever since I was a little girl, I was almost always told "yes." Whether it was the newest toy, to the "coolest" brand of clothes, to a nice car, and to now, my college tuition. Though it's not necessarily the first thing I want others to know about me, this is my opportunity to express my view through being so-called "spoiled."

First of all, there is a difference between just being spoiled, and being a spoiled brat. I've definitely seen other kids who are given everything, but throw fits when they're told no. Being told no is never fun, but even as a small child, I never threw a temper tantrum because I didn't get my way. My parents raised me to understand that when an adult tells you something, you listen and are respectful. They were fair enough that they would even give me an explanation as to why I was told no, even though they didn't owe me one.

Second, my parents WORKED for their money. They both are the only child in their families to go to college, and studied extremely hard to earn degrees in difficult subjects. After graduation, they both landed good jobs and worked their way up to higher positions and made more money. My parents also decided to make the commitment that once they did have children, they wanted to give us a good life, simply because they could.

Finally, I appreciate and am incredibly grateful for every last penny my parents have invested in me. They always made sure I had what I needed, and as long as I followed their rules and expectations, they believed I deserved the things I wanted. Now at 21, I do have a full-time job that pays well; however, there is no way I would be where I am today without them. Though managing money isn't my strong suit, I'm thankful to have parents who are able to teach me financial skills and how to be successful. They're incredibly caring and generous human beings; not just to my siblings and I, but to others as well.

It hurts when I'm called spoiled or am accused of "never working," because I do not want to be defined by my parents' income. I work very hard in school and take it seriously, as my parents did so we could live a good life. I admire their hard work, and will never be sorry for the effort they've put forth. I hope one day to do the same for my children; I do not ever want them to have to wonder where their next meal is coming from, if they will have an outfit to wear the next day, or a warm home to come to.

Though I haven't had to work as hard as some other kids my age, or even younger, I still know the satisfaction and value of working hard and living well (not at all saying people who have much less cannot be happy). Though our relationship hasn't always been perfect, my parents have my heart forever, and I hope I can only be half as amazing as they are someday.