Generation Y is a function of the era that raised them. They've been told their whole lives messages from parents, educators, and society the following:
- You are special.
- You are unique.
- You can do anything you want to do.
- You can be anything you want to be.
- Thank you for being here [at work / school / etc.] today.
What I am realizing is that I should not be over-sheltering and sending these types of messages to my child - when I do have one of my own, that is. Life isn't about being happy all the time -- hardships should be taken with grit and persistence to overcome, rather than allowing oneself to get overwhelmed once encountering a bump in the road. It wouldn't do a child any good to have an inflated and false sense of self-esteem through the bulleted messages above, but rather, they should learn to work for and receive praise when truly worthy. I need to be more careful about the intent of my praises, and stop giving empty ones such as thanking a child for "being here" or for "trying" when they aren't putting forth their best efforts.
Such a thought-provoking topic.
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