By Jim Schneegold
Buffalo, NY – I imagine that every generation must look at the one that follows it with a look of disbelief and wonderment. In my youth, I always remember hearing that well-worn clich , "When I was your age I had to walk 20 miles, uphill (both ways), in a snowstorm just to get to school. You kids have it made compared to what we went through."
However, now I think it's my turn to vent about today's younger generation. Is it me or does it seem that children learn that money must grow in their parent's wallets 24 hours a day? Many kids appear (at least the ones I come across) to live this life of entitlement as if their parents simply had to snap their fingers to produce money. They have no idea how hard they have to work to make their lives easier and, worse yet, they don't really care. They get their party of 30 for everything from kindergarten graduation to surviving their first cold. Invitations go out and the child's presents and cash come rolling in. Most of them have mentally spent their money before the guest has even left the party. The others save it and accumulate bank accounts that would make Warren Buffett smirk. I can understand birthdays and graduating from High School as a reason for celebrations, but do we really have to give them a party for every little thing? In some kid's cases, they expect this well into their 20s and 30s.
I once heard that a child becomes an adult when they no longer need to rely on the financial support from their parents. Now that should be the time for every parent to throw the ultimate party. Am I envious of their lives? You bet I am?
I asked my mom a few years ago if I ever had parties like the kids do today. I didn't remember ever having a bank account I didn't put my own earned money in. She said we couldn't afford to throw parties. "Money doesn't grow on trees, you know" was the catch-phrase of all angered, yet sympathetic parents when we were growing up. We'd close one eye after asking to borrow money only to hear, "What do you need $1 for anyway?"
"I need to go to the store and get orange drink and Twinkies!" DENIED!
"I want to go buy the latest Beatles record." DENIED!
"Mr. Softy is pulling down the street and he's leaving."
"There's orange juice Popsicle sticks in the ice cube tray if you want something like that." We'd give her the look like, "Come on mom, really?"
n a way, we were lucky our parents didn't have any extra money. There wasn't this safety net of knowing our parents would give us anything we wanted without having to earn it. I remember going door-to-door with a wagon and asking if I could take our neighbors' empty two-cent pop bottles back to the store. When I got a little older, I got a paper route which netted a hefty $6 profit per week. It wasn't a lot but it was enough for me. Besides, there was a little self-pride knowing I had come by the money myself.
I know there are many children that have grown up independent and self-sufficient who will read this story and say, "I hear what you're saying. I've seen those kids before." Then the kids that have been able to grow up with their parties and bank accounts will probably read this story and say, "I hear what you're saying! I don't remember having a party for my first cold though."
Listener-Commentator Jim Schneegold is a writer who lives in Amherst.
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