Review By: Myra Salzer
This is the second of Richard Watts’s books that I have the privilege of reviewing. The first, Fables of Fortune, appeared in my November 15, 2017, blog post. As much as I raved about the first book, I’m going to have to give even higher scores to Entitlemania. Seriously! As you know, I have been a defender of heirs for decades. My hair curls when I hear the term “trust fund baby” or “member of the lucky sperm club,” as if they had something to do with it and it’s their fault they happen to have access to financial resources. Watts puts the “blame” squarely where it belongs – with the parents. If there was only one criticism I could make of the book, it was that Watts assumed the parents and the wealth creators were the same people.
I can’t resist sharing with you some of the highlights that I made from the book:
- When we blame our kids for acting entitled, we are deflecting our own responsibility.
- In trying to give them everything, you give them a less…
- They {the parents} see the child as an extension of themselves, as someone whose
purpose is to fulfill what they could not.
Where many books dwell on the problems (however the book defines “problem”), repeat the problems, elaborate on the problems, and explain the problems very clearly, so often they fall short of being helpful because, well, understanding the problem may not be very helpful. Fortunately, Watts goes beyond getting worked up over the problem. He provides solutions. How refreshing!
I will stop short of reviewing the solutions Watts writes about in the hopes that you will take it upon yourself to hop on Amazon or iTunes and download a copy posthaste. To me, the most remarkable thing about Watts telling-it-like-it-is is the fact that his clients are the wealth creator. It takes chutzpah and confidence to tell your own clients that it’s their own actions that are the very thing preventing their children from thriving. And that’s kind of what the whole book is about – enabling the kids to have the life experiences needed to build confidence. Watts walks the talk!
I took it upon myself to contact Richard Watts for no other reason than it felt good to acknowledge him. I never really expected to get a response. But respond he did! Graciously and humbly. He’s quite a guy!
If you’ve read this far and want to hear a little more, Watts did a great job of making his message applicable to all socioeconomic listeners in his December 9, 2017, interview on NPR, How To Not Spoil Your Kids This Christmas.