Here we are mid-August, riding on the tail end of summer, hanging on for dear life. Hanging on to unscheduled days, dripping ice cream cones, sweet iced tea, sunny days in the water, weekends camping, and nights snuggled together stargazing. This is that rhythm filled season. Long summer days are blending into long autumn nights. Temperatures and weather patterns cycle again. And, children are returning back to classrooms in some form or other.

A lover of learning, I’ve always looked forward to the back to school time. The smell of brand new sharply pointed crayons, crisp blank notebooks full of promise, squeaky clean shoes, organized backpacks, and brilliantly colored pens excite me. The thing that thrilled me the most, though, was that stack of textbooks filled cover to cover with knowledge just waiting to be learned. My curious four-year-old shares my love for learning. She, too, is eager for the back to school season.

Back to school shopping was always an end-of-summer highlight for me. Okay, I admit it–I still love all the aisles of school supplies. I love it so much that before we had Lily, I went a little crazy buying just about every back to school item you can imagine for our niece and nephew. Maybe I just wanted for someone else to be as excited about education.

But it was excessive. The required supply lists schools deliver are excessive. All the varieties and choices and “must-haves” are, well, too much. Way too much. When did we suddenly need scented, color-changing, glow-in-the-dark markers? Who decided the need for three kinds of scented notebooks? And have you been to the notebook aisle?! It’s now plural. A-i-l-e-s. Where did this need–or greed–come from? Entitlement. We have grown into such an entitled society. No longer do we work for things we need or work to improve or enjoy, now, we are groomed to just expect having bigger and better, more and most.

Kristen Welch, founder of Mercy House Global, shares how her family tackled entitlement in her book Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World. Haven’t read it? You should! My eyes have been opened not only to how entitlement actually disservices my child, the difference between needs and conveniences, but also how there is a sense of entitlement in my own life.

So, this year we’re doing things differently. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on new, more, and convenience, we’ve sharpened last year’s pencils and crayons, moved around furniture to give an updated feel to the tiny classroom space, focused on natural elements, and handmade decorations. And, you know what? Lily is perfectly contented. She hasn’t complained once. The only thing she’s asked for is more books (hmmm, sounds like her grandfather and mother)! Instead of immediately giving in to her wants, she understands that she must earn new books by completing chores and saving her money.

Have you ever packed a backpack of school supplies for a student of a lesser developed country? Over a decade ago, I sat cross legged on a cold, hard floor in Guatemala. Our team formed a small assembly line, and we packed backpacks of basic school supplies for children there. There were no pineapple scented notebooks or glow-in-the-dark markers included, but I’ll never forget the sheer joy on those sweet, brown faces. Entitled, no; they were sincerely grateful. Those children, living in box-sized, tin-roofed homes didn’t have any concept of entitlement, but they knew real joy.

When you need more and more to satisfy, essentially, you’re never satisfied. You have nothing. When you have nothing and can still smile, you have everything.

Last year’s crayons still color. We’ve eliminated extra and excess. Lily’s seen a different perspective and is learning gratitude and that it’s okay to be different. She’s learning that instead of getting more when she has all she needs, to instead give more to those who truly need. She’s discovered the happiness of choosing items to send to a child who doesn’t have school supplies and the fun of filling up a grocery bag for someone who is hungry. Maybe you’re ready for that deep, satisfying joy that gratitude brings and the relief that comes from overcoming entitlement. Dare to swim against an entitled culture. It’ll be worth it.

A couple weeks ago, my friend, Jen Hutson published an article about entitlement. Because I’d been thinking so much about our entitled culture and the way children are being affected, I was thrilled to see her article and read about our entitled society from her perspective. Jen offers practical advice, and its with her permission that I’m including a link to her article here. Thanks so much, Jen!

https://coramdeo-in.com/adversity-sowing-fruit-in-your-childs-garden/