We are indulgent parents

I am having such an eye opening experience this week. Setty (my business partner and dear friend) is guiding the porter training group up the mountain. I have his 3 children...Carrie 8, Counselor 4, and Prince 2. They are such happy self-reliant sweet kids I am really just blown away. Last night before going to sleep, Carrie asked me what time she needed to get up ( keep in mind she is doing this in English which is her second language)...I said 6. At 6 this morning i found her ironing her school uniform and noticed a bottle of polish for her shoes next to her. As I tried to get Nell and Pearl up...she got her sister and brother up and dressed...my girls were whining a bit and resisting and those kids were just going through the necessary motions of getting the day started. How does this happen? I know Setty and Winnie well....they are quiet motivated and calm people...there is no threatening in their parenting syles...
It is amazing. Part of it I think is the culture...kids aren't seen complaining and whining...they don't have the choices of oodles of "stuff"....they don't have more clothes and toys than they need...so they actually take care of what they have. Setty's kids are by no means impoverished...they go to good schools live in a nice house and are very well fed. I so hope this week will open my girls eyes a bit....perhaps give them some sort of grounding for when they go home and are bombarded with manicures and Wii....I think their time here will show them the importance of not indulging our every whim....life's beauty is found in the simple things...each other, love, family...I think knowing this will make them more satisfied content adults.
Just my musings for the day....we are lucky to be here and that we can all be exposed to this and realize what is important. Thanks
Sarah