The Culture of "Instant Gratification"

"The psychological concept of Instant Gratification refers to the idea that humans like to have what they want right now, not later...and they don't want to wait"

What happened to the idea of "Good things come to those who wait"? Why are we living in such an impatient world? Why can't we just wait.. a little?

I find the concept of "Instant Gratification" extremely fascinating because I believe it has shaped our culture and it continues to do so every day.. I believe our children have been (and will continue to be) deeply hurt by this idea and because of it, they are bound to face challenges that other generations did not encounter...

Our kids aren't learning the concept of patience and the virtue of kindness... they want it all and they want it NOW.. and the sad part is that we as adults are the ones teaching them those lame values...

Instant Gratification is a dangerous concept because it's helping us create a generation of entitlement and set our kids up to be a failure as adults...it creates high maintenance kids that need to be constantly rewarded even for doing what they are supposed to do... things such as eating a whole meal, or completing a homework in time aren't supposed to be rewarded as they are simple duties and responsibilities that any person has.. Why do we have to praise every action and gratify social and moral obligations?  Why can't we just EXPECT our kids to do their best without having to give them a prize for it?

Instant gratification is also a hard habit to break because it makes people associate actions with immediate pleasure.. it makes people grow used to a state of overabundance and fabricated needs that just make our lives more shallow and less meaningful... We forget that the biggest pleasure come from the little things and in the process we forget to teach our kids the beauty of simplicity and expectancy..

As a mother, I have a duty to teach my kids things such as self-control, patience and hard work.. I want to teach them that not all things can be here and now... I need to help them understand that they need to be grateful for everything they have and they need to value each and every blessing that life gives them...

By working against instant gratification, parents can teach their children to avoid making impulsive decisions and to have better control over their emotions... The culture of instant gratification needs to be reshaped into a culture that is less demanding and more productive...