I can't remember not knowing the phrase, "Life isn't fair." My parents constantly reinforced the principles of this philosophy. If they refused a request of mine, I was taught not to question why, but rather to respect their decision. When I received a bad grade, they didn't go to the school and complain, but rather they taught me to respect the authority of my teacher. If they grounded me and I cried, they didn't lift the punishment to ease my pain. Rather they stood by their decision and helped me see how I could have made better choices. When friends hurt my feelings, they didn't confront them for me, but rather they taught me to hold my head high, have pride in who I was and find friends who would treat me with respect.

Even more important, my parents taught me the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It seems so many young people today don't understand this concept. The TV shows they watch advocate disrespectful behavior directed not only at peers, but also at authority figures. They watch the adults around them cut in front of each other in traffic, curse openly at each other in public, push past the elderly and let the door slam in the face of the person behind them. I was always taught to treat other people with respect. I was taught to put myself in other people's shoes and to put the needs of others before my own. I was taught to always be considerate, helpful and kind, just because it was the right and good way to be.

I don't understand why so many young people these days feel entitled to always get what they want, and lash out at others when they don't. We need to teach them to deal with adversity rather than to complain until they get their way. We need to teach them to accept responsibility for their actions rather than pointing the finger at someone else. We need to teach them to respect the lives of the people around them rather than always focusing on their own desires. We need to teach them that life isn't fair, it won't always be easy and there will be times when they'll simply have to suck it up and deal with disappointment. Adversity is inevitable. It builds character and makes life interesting, and teaching our children any differently will only weaken their resolve to achieve great things.

Learn more about this author, Amy Birdwell.
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