Some parents rush to serve every squeak and squawk from their kids. "I can't let my child feel pain!" said one dad. Parents, if you are giving way too much, find out why your parenting strategy may be one of the worst strategies ever.

I remember counseling with a teenager and her mom. The young girl sassed and criticized her principal, her teachers, and her family. She yelled if any of them said:

• "Do your chores."
• "Do your homework."
• "You can't "hang out" with your friends."

Her mother revealed how her kid got so sassy:

• "I've tried to please Suzy (not her real name) ever since she was a baby."
• "I've given her everything she ever wanted."
• "Maybe I shouldn't have done so much for her."

Bingo! Her mom hit the nail on the head. It's too bad she didn't realize it when her daughter was much younger. Now she had a tyrant on her hands.

I believe many parents know the right thing to do but can't quite bring themselves to be firm. Part of them believes if they don't ruffle any feathers their children will be wonderful and happy. The other part knows from their kid's selfish behavior that it isn't working.

If you want to raise a self-centered kid who will grow up to be a self-centered adult just: