This very words of these teachers really irritated me!
“I can’t stand an ungrateful child.” 😏 Ugh. I hate that sentence!
What exactly is a “grateful child” anyway to people like them?
A grateful child is one that is frequently expected to express verbal gratitude even more the smallest acts of kindness or material gifts. They show effusive praise and acknowledgement.
A grateful child is obedient, compliant, submissive, and doesn’t question or challenge adults. Obedience and compliance is a form of respect and appreciation. A grateful child does not show natural curiosity or a desire for autonomy. A grateful child pays back any kind or provision they receive through reciprocal acts. A grateful child tells the adult how much they are loved or appreciated, beyond what is typically natural for a child. A grateful child doesn’t complain, doesn’t show dissatisfaction. A grateful child is perfectly content and appreciative even when they are unhappy or uncomfortable. A grateful child never asks for more or different things. They are satisfied with whatever they are given, regardless of its adequacy.
Adults who “can’t stand an ungrateful child” have fragile egos. They need external validation to feel worthy as an educators or authority figure. They have a transactional approach to love and support.
I pity them! 😔