As times change, so do parenting techniques. What parents have believed as gospel truth about raising children a decade or two ago may not be applicable to the current era. As culture, technology, and many other factors have influenced behavior with the passage of time, both children and parents today share a generational rift that tends to disconnect them from each other.
For this modern, technology-driven age of social media and instant gratification, parenting expert Amy McCready homes in on what she calls the “entitlement pandemic” in her book, The Me, Me, Me Epidemic: A Step-by-Step Guide to Raising Capable, Grateful Kids in an Over-Entitled World.
McCready, a self-proclaimed “recovering yeller,” champions positive parenting techniques that teach parents how to raise well-behaved kids without the traditional nagging, yelling, or constant reminding. In her book, she addresses the entitlement pandemic, which can be best exemplified by children who only behave for treats, teenagers constantly posting selfies to gain social media clout and attention, and adults who are living off of their parents. Using relatable anecdotes and strategies, McCready outlines 35 easy-to-implement tools that parents can use to empower their children without coddling them while also encouraging them to develop a healthy, respectful attitude.
In her book, McCready discusses how setting up limitations and letting kids become aware of the consequences of their actions can help train them to exercise responsible behavior and decision-making. Unlike other parenting books that simply state the facts, McCready uses stories to illustrate her points and provides instructions on how to put her suggested methods into practice. She also offers insightful advice that aims to help parents manage various situations, as well as presents a range of methods that can be applicable to all types of children of varying ages.
Aside from providing solutions, McCready also outlines steps parents can use to recognize whether their children are showing signs of being entitled. She emphasizes on instilling realistic values without making the child feel as if they are the problem. On the whole, The Me, Me, Me Epidemic reminds parents of their role in their child’s life: to actually parent their child while creating a warm, welcoming, and loving environment that fosters a relationship of mutual respect and trust that extends beyond the household.
Why Parents Should Read This Book
Because of the generation gap, many parents can’t seem to successfully navigate and manage the entitled behavior that many children are inclined to show these days. Having been raised in a completely different era with a completely different set of values and beliefs, parents of the modern age are not always prepared to contend with the effects of technology and social media in their children’s behavior.
By reading the The Me, Me, Me Epidemic, parents today can begin to not only understand their child’s experience, but also realize what they can do as parents to influence their child in a positive, proactive way. With this guide, parents can teach their kids compassion for others instead of merely focusing on themselves, thus helping them nurture resilient and respectful relationships.
McCready, who is a mother of two teenage boys, has empowered tens of thousands of parents in correcting their children’s misbehaviors with her books and her Positive Parenting Solutions Online parenting course. Apart from this, she also hosts live webinars and is a keynote speaker, writer, and coach for many parenting-related events.
With The Me, Me, Me Epidemic: A Step-by-Step Guide to Raising Capable, Grateful Kids in an Over-Entitled World, McCready gives parents of the modern age definitive, easy-to-understand, and relatable strategies that can help them raise children who fuel their spirit and that of others.
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