They say if you want something done right, then you should do it yourself. Self-reliance is an important skill that makes life a whole lot easier. Though relying on others is one of the greatest feelings in the world, it is not a luxury that we can all afford. Some of us can't waste our time waiting for others to fulfill our needs.
A goal for most people growing up is to reach the point in our lives where we no longer need the assistance of those who are older than us. An issue with this is that some people reach this point before they are actually allowed to live on their own. One of the reasons so many teenagers are so mentally destroyed is because the ages of 13-19 are so crucial to our brain development and it is during this period that most of us feel ready to take on more responsibility, but our ages deny us this opportunity. It's because of this that our self-reliance grows. We get used to being disappointed all the time by those above us who set the rules, that we no longer look to them for things we did in the past.
A goal for most people growing up is to reach the point in our lives where we no longer need the assistance of those who are older than us. An issue with this is that some people reach this point before they are actually allowed to live on their own. One of the reasons so many teenagers are so mentally destroyed is because the ages of 13-19 are so crucial to our brain development and it is during this period that most of us feel ready to take on more responsibility, but our ages deny us this opportunity. It's because of this that our self-reliance grows. We get used to being disappointed all the time by those above us who set the rules, that we no longer look to them for things we did in the past.
Growing up, most people relied on their parents for food, water, shelter, love, etc. As time when on, these things become more and more accessible without them. Another case is that parents just didn't supply them at all, so people had to find them on their own. As your basic needs are fulfilled, you start to work towards your bigger needs on your own. Maslow's Hierarchy explains this in a triangle fashion. As you meet your basic needs on the bottom of the triangle, you start to move up until you reach the top where you are happy and your needs are sustained on a physical, mental, and spiritual level. As you grow up, you realize that the only person who can really help you gain these things is yourself. There is a point in nearly everyone’s life where we realize that we just can’t always count on others.
Self-reliance is definitely an important skill. It's something I fear gets left out in the age of "helicopter parenting," as kids don't get asked to solve their own problems as frequently as they could, which can end up stunting their resilience. But I also wonder, in response to your thoughts, I wonder if part of what you're experienceing just comes from innate teenage desire to move up, move on, and get out on their own. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding you though, so what do you think?
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