The age of entitlement- Children growing up in a time in which they

I dont wanna ofend anyone but that sickens me. My parents dont give me much money to buy thing, only what I really need and a small gift once in a while. And I seed kids almost rolling all over the floor jaust to get an expensive toy that, after two or three weeks, they will forget and never play with it again. I have to work for my things and get them on my own. And that gives them ( the things I buy) something more interesting. I would take care of it 'cause I bought it. And that's the best thing about it. How would you feel if you go to a store to get, for example, a PlayStation3, and you worked the all summer jaust to get enough money for it and you see someone you kwon, that didnt work nothing saying to his dad/mom : i really want it. Buy me it. And the parents just give it to him? Wouldn't that anouy you?

I so understand what you mean about kids and how they are getting to be. I never had nothing growing up in fact whatever I had I had to buy and when I say everything I mean everything. If not I did not have shampoo did not have toothpaste ect. If I did not have a job that meant some days I did not eat or maybe only one meal a day. I know most families are not this extreme but in my case there were reasons behind this things were tough but I learned character. My kids may never have to worry about food or shampoo or any of the other things but they also are never going to assume they have the right to anything unless they have bought it with there own money and hard work. My kids have things i never did but that also means if they do not do what is necessary to keep those things they can and will be removed until they realize I do not owe them anything.In this house we work together as one if they do not want to work together then they do not get any of the benifits it seems to work for us.

Ask my kids about this and they will tell you that they wish! When my boys all turned 14, I told them it was time to go and get a job because that is about the age where they wanted cell phones. If they wanted a cell, they paid the bill and still do (now ages 15, 17, 20). We did not buy one of them a vehicle. I told them that if they wanted a car at the age of 16, they better save for it. My 15 yr old even has a truck (no liscense yet), and he pays the insurance on it. I am with you. If my kids want something, they go to work and work for it. I do pay for school activities and sporting camps for my kids. They know how much they cost and many times they have offered to pay for 1/2. I think making kids responsible to earn their own money teaches them a lesson that every one should learn.

Yes this is a current problem. I myself started babysitting when I was 12 once my mother ended her 9 year Daycare. I helped her growing up with the Daycare as well, got a job when I was 15, and earned my privileges. I see kids today and it really is sad. I see very young girls wearing next to nothing these days. I do not agree with your first opinion "they expect everything to be given to them" I disagree in the sense that I do not think it is the child's fault at all. We are raised that way. I was raised in a firm household where I understood money was tight. I was raised with chores and responsibilities. I was not spoiled and understand the value of earning things. I look at parents now and we live in a household where both parents work, kids are thrown in daycare centers, then school, and a lot of the raising of the child are done in institutions. I remember babysitting and there not being any kids books in the house for me to read to them before bed. No Disney movies etc. Kids these days are watching R rated movies with their parents, looking through magazines... etc. Everything is getting more and more messed. I remember moving from the country to the city and noticing a difference. I was 13 when we moved, and my brother and I tried a few times to pull the "well so and so doesn't have to do this chore or so and so has a cell phone.." etc. The environment is what shapes us, but a good parent doesn't need to be afraid. You seem to be a parent that is aware of this situation, and one that is aware can do something about it.

I definitely understand what you mean. I'm currently an 18 year old college student, soon to be a wife in 6 days, and I certainly know the value of hard work. My fiance and I went straight from high school to moving in together in a state 800 miles from home to go to college, work 2 part time jobs, have our own apartment, pay for our own things, bought me a car (his was a graduation present, so mine's significantly nicer and more expensive because we determined how much we spent!). But then I talk to our friends from high school and they're still living with their parents, going out and partying all the time and they complain to us that they want jobs for extra money but they can't get jobs because they really want to focus on their school work. And I just kind of want to slap them. I mean, I obviously know that my situation is one I chose (and I wouldn't choose anything else) so I don't complain about it, but I don't want to hear them complaining that they can't carry ONE part-time job around school when I carry TWO part-time jobs AND go to a school that consists of three times more work than their school. On the other hand, I caution you not to give your children too much responsibility. It's always good for them to learn, but they have to also want to be responsible to some extent because if you really force them then they might start to resent it. I know that my mother gave me too much responsibility too young and I felt really resentful about it because I still wanted to be a child. I mean, at 8 I would see my father feeding and watering the outside dogs and I really wanted to do it because I saw it as a fun responsibility that I could have in common with him and it was a sign of me growing up. But 8 years later at 16 I've been doing it EVERY DAY for 8 years and I'm sick of it because I carry a full day of high school and then college at night plus a part time job and my mother yells at me if I don't feed the dogs and ask her because she won't do it herself because it's MY job. The last thing I want to do is come home from college at 10:30 at night and go take care of the outside dogs when she's been home all day. But you don't sound like the sort of person that would do something like that. I think you're on your way to having very responsible children and that's good. :) Best of luck with them! It's not always easy, but it's worth it in the end. ^_^

In our society it has become the norm for any and all people to depend on everyone but themselves. Too many people depend on our government for hands out or the good will of hard working people. As a mother I make my own children do chores every morning. I did this and I turned out just fine. I sit back though and watch some of the other children in our family and become at times distraught at their belief that the world owes them everything. Not only do I believe this will affect them when they are older financially but socially as well. The children who are given everything without being taught to respect where it came from are horribly behaved. Running wild, grabbing, screaming, hitting then when they are older they steal, damage other folks property and other heinous acts. This isn't just a matter of spoiled children it is a matter of the down fall of social behavior.

When I was a teenager I did a paper round from age 13 to 16. Then from age 16 to 18 I worked as Saturday shop assistant. I did dog walking and cleaned cars. I saved up to go traveling. My 14 year old son does jobs for money like assemble furniture for me. He isn't interested in doing a paper round.

I wish there was more parents like you! I see so many college students that never had to do anything growing up! The parents did everything! They get jogs at the college and some get fired or they quit because they are to lazy to do anything! If not that they think THEY REALLY KNOW EVERYTHING AND YOU CAN'T TELL THEM ANYTHING BECAUSE OF THAT!They got everything they wanted and now they are getting their education paid for! Alot of these students are selfish,rude,ungrateful and arrogant! You just want to smack these students! Of course you can't! It is very frustrating and thank goodness not everything student is like that! I do work with some that aren't spoiled,have jobs back home when they aren't in school,they are grateful for their education,hard working and there are a few who have to work their way through school! Thank goodness half of my nieces and nephews aren't like that! I also grateful that, you meandmy and other parents aren't going to spoil your kids and they have to do chores! I had to do that when I grew up and I grew up on a farm! I wish more kids could grow up on farms! Then they would be grateful for everything they had to do and wouldn't have atittudes!

It depends upon the family status of that children. The parents gave it in the sense that they have enough wealth for it. And they used to have helpers and maids at home. Thats the life of luxurious family that they can give whatever their children ask for. Sometimes we cannot blame them its because they are already have it like heredity and inheritance from parents to parents. Thats their way of life so we have the right to what our kids should be when they grow up.