Why does my teenager think they deserve things without earning them?

I'll be direct: they think this because we've taught them to. Not intentionally, but through convenience. Every generation has done this. We provide without asking them to contribute, then wonder why they don't understand exchange. The problem isn't entitlement—it's disconnection. Your teenager doesn't *feel* the relationship between effort and reward because they haven't experienced it yet. Money arrives; they don't know from where. The remedy is practical, not moral. Involve them in real work that generates real income. Not pocket money for breathing—actual labor with actual pay. Let them see a paycheck, however small. Better still, let them fail. If they want something expensive, say: that costs forty hours of your work. Do you want it that much? This isn't cruelty; it's clarity. When they understand that their choices have real costs measured in their own time and effort, something shifts. They begin to value both money and themselves. That's when dignity enters the picture—when they recognize their own power to earn, choose, and shape their future.