I remember growing up getting into scenarios like the Marshmellow Test, but I didn't learn to delay gratification; what I learned was I'm a sucker if I wait or make sacrifices. Often "you'll get two later if you surrender this one now" became "there is no second marshmellow and you're not getting the first one back." How many times do other kids have to experience this before they learn not to delay gratification? and thus get accused of "poor impulse control" when I'd call it "learning from experience" ?