Growing up, I found plenty of kids whose parents gave them everything they asked for. I admit, I was jealous of them when I was younger. I wanted the fancy cars, the designer clothes, and not to have curfew. Though my parents may not have granted every request I asked of them, they did give me the most important lesson of all: you need to work for what you want. So, thank you mom and dad, because not getting everything I wanted was the biggest blessing, and here's why.
1. I concern myself with what I have, rather than thinking about what I don't have.
When you are constantly given what you want, the objects or allowances you are given start to lose meaning. You start to create this idea that you can have anything you want, when ever you want. Thus, instead of appreciating what you have you start thinking about what you want next. Now, I'm not going to sit here and pretend I don't want anything, but I am honestly saying I am more grateful for what I have. I have always thanked my parents when they gave me something, because I never expected that they give me anything. Nor did they need to get me anything. I lived off of what I needed, with a few exceptions of my birthday and Christmas. This helps me now as a college student because I have learned to separate my needs and wants. It has helped me be smart with my decisions, and appreciate everything that my parents have done for me.
2. It has taught me how to save.
America is one of the worst saving nations in the developed world, and we wonder why? Well, I believe that it is linked to kids getting everything they want. Think of it like this, if you are just given something, you don't need to work to get it, let alone save up money to get it. Not just this, but when kids become adults, its hard for them to realize that the plastic credit card they are given uses real money with every swipe. Giving kids everything they want provides an illusion that there is no cost or consequence to anything. Growing up, my mom had me save half of the holiday money I received, sometimes for toys, but also just for the future in general. I always thought that it was unfair of her to take away some of the money I had received and wanted to spend, but now I know better. Now, I save 3/4 of every paycheck I get because I know it will help me in the future. As a result, I have enough money to get me through my first year of college without debt. If my parents just gave me the money and let me do what I wanted, I wouldn't have this opportunity today.
3. It has helped me work harder in life.
Like my parents have always taught me, when you want something you have to earn it. Though, when I was younger this amounted to being nice to my brother or working extra hard to keep my room clean. Now, when I know I want something, I pick up extra shifts. Last summer I worked three jobs because I wanted to go to Lollapalooza for a senior trip and have extra spending money for my first year of college. My parents didn't want to just give me money, because they wanted me to show them I earned the trip. So, I worked about fifty hours a week, and rarely had any days off. No, I am not recommending such a stressful schedule for everyone. But this all paid off because I did everything I set my mind to then, and I continue to today. Just keep in mind, if a kid gets everything they want, they don't have to work for anything. I personally would not have worked as hard as I had and continue to if my parents didn't push me to do so.
4. It helped me learn how to be responsible.
As a teenager, I saw other kids staying out until all hours in the night, never even checking in with parents. To be honest, I hated my curfew. I hated that I was always the first one home because I felt like I was missing out on a lot. I always asked for more time out, but my parents normally never budged on the subject. Thinking back about it now, I don't feel so bad. They kept me out of trouble by setting a curfew. My parents treated me as their daughter, not as their friend. Without knowing it, they helped me set my own boundaries and taught me how to be on time. They taught me how to make the right choices about how I wanted to spend my time, by only giving me so much time out. It helped me stay rested, but still have enough time to have fun. Now as an adult, I can budget my time for what is important to me, and helps me decide what I want to do.
Thank you mom and dad for not giving me everything I wanted. Thank you for making me work hard, and giving me the skills to be successful later in life. Though I did not necessarily appreciate it then, I certainly do now. It is a blessing I won't forget.
