How many licks........................

How many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop? As kids many of us watched this commercial as the wise old owl took the shortcut to the prize by biting the tootsie pop instead of licking it to the center. In this fast paced life, we are all looking for a shortcut to the prize we seek. Whether we are trying to lose weight, or have more money, get a new car, big house or a trip to Hawaii, we are often easily lead down the path of a quick fix to meet our goal.  Our society is full of get rich quick schemes, lose weight fast, get the house or car of your dreams tomorrow, and so on. Our children have all been raised in a society that you get it now, pay later and doing without is blasphemy. Our kids think they should make more without trying, and that they will always get what they want. Most of us in middle age have worked hard to give our children all their needs and wants, the problem with that is most of them now expect to live the lifestyles we worked so hard to achieve without the expectation of starting at the bottom and working their way up.  They want the biggest house and the best car and the great vacations and the large pay starting out. They do not want or even know how to do without. Cell phones, cars, new clothes and great jobs, not a reward of hard work but an expectation because they deserve it.  I certainly feel as a parent and a society we have failed our children by wanting them to have all the things we didn't, but not teaching them that they need to shoulder some of the responsibility that is necessary to receive, purchase and maintain these things. Life can be a lot of things good and bad, but the most important thing we can do for ourselves and our children is teach them to be prepared for whatever the day brings.  So be patient and remember we are the ones that taught them to crunch quickly instead of licking slowly for the reward........and in real life it usually takes a lot of licks to get to the prize

                                          The World may never know..................................