Helping your children grow into emotionally resilient, grounded adults means teaching them that life doesn’t owe them things but that they are fully able to respond when life asks of them.

An entitled parent is someone who believes they are inherently deserving of special treatment, privileges, or obedience from others—especially their children—regardless of merit or fairness. This mindset often manifests in controlling behaviors, unrealistic expectations, and a lack of empathy or respect for boundaries. Entitled parents may prioritize their own needs and desires over those of their children, leading to emotional manipulation, guilt-tripping, or dismissiveness.

In a world full of shifting priorities and increasing pressures, more parents are embracing a bold, intentional choice: raising just one child. Far from a trend rooted in limitation, the rise of “one and done” parenting reflects a powerful shift toward self-awareness, balance, and resilience.

Recently, three children all in their 20s sat around a dinner table and sharing their hesitations about becoming parents. It wasn’t an emotional rejection of family life, it was a practical, thoughtful response to a world that’s changed dramatically from the one their parents knew. And in that honesty lies a powerful lesson about how this generation is responding to uncertainty with strength, clarity, and new values.

Learn how to build lasting happiness in marriage through emotional resilience, personal responsibility, and intentional habits. A resilience coach’s guide to joyful relationships.