Day #223 Tip – Teach Delayed Gratification

We live in an “I want it now” world. I don’t necessarily see it getting tons better without some effort. Now that we can get our emails on our phones at any moment or get an update on our friends’ lives just by logging on to Facebook, we expect things quickly. In the business world, my husband is flooded with people who think he can respond instantaneously to every request. This has gotten our country into a lot of trouble with debts, entitlement issues and pleasure seeking with little thought about future consequences. We need to be intentional about teaching delayed gratification in a world that tells you that you deserve to get what you want immediately. This teaching can come through making kids earn money toward things they might want to purchase. It may come with you just learning how to say, “No” or “later.” Often times it will feel like disappointment to them. They will have no idea why teaching this is important. At age appropriate levels, you can try to help them understand why instant gratification can be harmful. Rather than just saying no, you can add a concise explanation. In the younger years it will often come through teaching self control, patience and our word of the week, contentment. It will not help your children in the least bit to give them everything they want the moment they want it. Try and model it in your own lives by shown restraint in your own behaviors or spending habits. Here’s a funny YouTube video on this topic.