Immediate Gratification

We have arrived at a time and place where effort and sacrifice are becoming extinct. Today, it's all about immediate gratification, and that applies to parenting as well as teaching.

I've been sitting on this article for about three weeks, but it's demanding to be published. As always, I'm prepared for a mix of responses. This link will take you to the article.

Comments

[Jen]

I couldn't agree with this more!! I think it's a tragedy that no one knows how to win or lose anymore. Wonder why we have so much depression running around?...no one knows how to deal with someone not liking them. Or how to not be the most important person and having people cater to their desires.

It's almost like we are being groomed for some scary utopian society. Scary thought!

[Roxanne Rieske]

Dom,

You hit the nail right on the head. I once had a psychology professor open a class by asking the question: "Which would you eat first, the icing on the cake or the cake?" Most of the class answered, "Icing!"

Self-discipline is taught (or learned) by delaying gratification. Do all the hard work first, then savor and delight in the rewards. This is an essential skill to have in the real world. No wonder most of the high school kids I work with are lazy and entirely unwilling to work hard.

[Shane]

Hey, Dom.
You make a great point about parents not wanting to "upset" their kids nowadays. But I would question if your dad was really teaching you delayed gratification by giving you a curfew :)
Shane

(Response from Dom)
Shane,
Thank you for posting your thoughts on the site. However, you might have misunderstood the article. My father wasn't "teaching" me delayed gratification; he was being a parent. My gratification came later, which was my point.