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In 2019 I wrote an essay that went semi-viral titled, Dear Adult Children, Your Parents Don’t Owe You Anything. In the essay, I discussed adults who have an inflated sense of entitlement in regard to their parents’ money, time, and resources. In essence, I argued that adults should be appreciative of the many ways that their parents continue to support them, but that they should not be demanding these things. The overwhelming response to the article revealed two things: One, many people are suffering from childhood trauma. Two, there are many, many adults who continue to be entitled AF.
To those who are suffering from traumatic childhoods, I would like to say that the essay was in no way targeted towards you. I pray that you are able to find true healing and that you are able to break every generational curse that has attached itself to your bloodline. To the entitled folks, I say that you really need to grow up and learn to appreciate your parents while they are still here to receive your gratitude because if 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that tomorrow is not promised.
One other common response that stood out to me were those who pointed out the significant role that parents play in instilling an inflated sense of entitlement into their kids, which is the reason for this post. So often, parents complain about self-entitled kids without recognizing how they help to contribute to this mindset. Naturally, the first step to correcting this attitude is recognizing that your child has it in the first place. So here are 10 tell-tale signs that you’re raising an entitled child. In isolation, these signs may not mean much, but when demonstrated in a symphony, they are indicative of a problem.
Disclaimer: This list does not apply to children with disabilities or personality disorders. If you suspect that your child may be living with an undiagnosed mental illness or disability, we encourage you to seek guidance from a competent mental health professional. Therapy for Black Girls is a great place to begin your search.
They believe that they’re above the rules
No one wants to follow rules all of the time — not even adults. However, a child who never wants to abide by the rules because they believe that rules are beneath them is highly entitled. Not only will this attitude create problems for them in childhood, but it will also hinder their ability to prosper in the real world as functional members of society.
