Kids these days. You pay for everything for them. You go out your way to do stuff you think they’ll enjoy. You build your whole life around them.
And do they notice? Do they appreciate it? Nope. They take it for granted. And they have the audacity these days to tell you how you’re letting them down. They keep perfect score of what you didn’t do, of how you’re ruining their life, and they’re not afraid to try to boss you around.
It can drive you crazy. Just look at this letter this kid wrote to his father.
“A nice thing to do,” he writes, dripping in pubescent scorn, “not taking me with you to the city. If you refuse to take me with you to Alexandria, I shall not write you a letter or speak to you or wish you good health. So: if you go to Alexandria I shall not take your hand or greet you ever again. If you refuse to take me, this is what happens… If you don’t send for me, I shan’t eat, I shan’t drink. There!”
Now you can probably tell from those couple words at the end that this wasn’t written last week, but it still feels pretty modern, no? But would you believe that this letter was written by an Egyptian boy about 18 centuries ago? We like to think kids these days are particularly spoiled or empowered, but the truth is, it’s always been this way.
Your experience as a parent is not that unique. Your teenager might be out of line with how they’re talking to you but you know what, they’re pretty in line with their peer group…for all time This is how it goes. This is what they do. They think they’re the center of the universe. They think you were born to serve them.
And again, you know what? They’re right. Because that’s part of the deal when you bring a kid into the world. You sign up for the chaos, the entitlement, the rebellion. But you also get to shape them, guide them, and watch as they eventually realize—perhaps far later than you’d like—just how much you’ve done (how long did it take you to notice it about your parents?)
So take a deep breath. It’s not new, it’s not personal, and though it’s sometimes hard to believe in the moment, it’s worth it.

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