The Problem With Power-Filled Children

     The object of the exercise of parenting is to raise children to be independent, contributing members of society. This feat is accomplished, to a large extent, by inculcating a child with a core set of values, but also by encouraging independence and strength of character through a strong will. A strong will is highly desirable, it is what sustains an individual through hard times, and is one of the main ingredients to a successful life. But so many parents, especially of the last quarter century, have not raised strong-willed children, instead opting for the much less desirable power-filled child.
     Power-filled children are immersed in an ocean of coddling and acquiescence by parents who infuse them with the concept that they are the center of the universe, entitled to their every whim and fancy, without any effort on their part. We publicly witness power-filled children everyday, who control their parents with bad behavior, temper tantrums and abusive language. But there has never been a more public example, en masse, of power-filled children than the Occupy Wall St. movement. Thousands of young adults throwing a collective temper tantrum to secure that which they did not earn.
     The same sort of arrogant selfish entitlement resident in the Occupy movement, can be witnessed every day in many homes in America where children are given control of family life. It begins almost from birth, when well meaning parents allow a child's toys to occupy common family space such as living rooms, kitchens, and even the parents bedroom. The young child learns that the entire family home is his domain instead of having a designated area for his things in a home that is governed by his parents. This ceding of the parents' governance to the child fills them with power that they do not have the wisdom or understanding to possess.  
     Our popular culture has contributed to the raising of power-filled children by placing parents in a subservient role to their children in television shows, commercials, and other such drivel for public consumption. The power-filled culture teaches that the modern parent, first and foremost, is suppose to be a friend, not an authority figure, to their children. So the power-filled child is rewarded without first meeting any expectations. Character-building concepts such as delayed gratification, earned success, and determination are absent from the power-filled child. He grows into an adult who feels entitled to have someone else fill his sails and navigate the choppy seas of life for him.
     The Left of course has encouraged the raising of power-filled children because it breeds an army of adults whose daily bread must come from the efforts of others, filtered through a government bureaucracy that they control. One of the biggest enemies of Leftists are the strong-willed. They not only have very little need for government largess, but generally think for themselves and are not susceptible to the lies, half-truths, and drivel that spews from the mouths of Leftist leaders. So, the most valuable gift that a parent can give a child is to take away his power and replace it with a strong will.