Children are simple; who makes them complicated?

Its simply the world and their own drive for survival in this complicated environment.

I think,it is the elders including the parents who make children complicated.Often disputes go on in families.Children don't take part in them.Instead,it is either their parents or other elders who involve them in family disputes.Elders are complicated.They influence children and make them complicated.

Peer pressure plays a role as well. When "everyone else has one" is whined at you day in and day out, it is hard to deal with. I never really caved to that with my girls. I always said, "EVERYone?" We didn't have a video game console in this house until about 2 years ago (they are 19 and almost 16 now) and it was my husband's purchase so he could play golf on the Playstation. The peer pressure of a 48 year old man. I vowed never to let my kids have a tv in their room and they never have. Cell phones were purchased when my girls started playing rep soccer so we could keep in touch, especially when they were at the same tournament but at different fields. But the last couple of holidays I have said to the girls, "You've got everything now. There's nothing left to buy you." They don't like the clothes I buy them so they buy their own. I wish things were the way they were when we were kids but society and technology has evolved. We can't let our kids play outside unsupervised anymore... not the way we did when we were kids. As a teenager I used to take the subway to downtown Toronto to shop or go to the movies. I wouldn't let a child 12-15 years old go by themselves to the downtown area today. I won't even LIVE there! It's not just kids though. Parents want to have all the toys too. They want two cars, a large house, a cottage, a boat, snowmobiles, etc. They are in debt to the hilt so they can continue to be kids, or be the kids they never were. These same parents buy their children whatever they want too. Look at the bullying that goes on today. Where are the parents? What are they teaching their children? These are probably parents who haven't grown up themselves. Life might have been hard on the prairie, but I think Laura Ingalls Wilder had a wonderful home life. Why is the economy so bad? Because people are spending money they don't have and then blaming the government because they are "poor". It would be nice if we could turn back the clock, but we can't.

I completely agree with you. Naturally, man has no extra desires, when he is born. But as he grows up, the environment changes him. Even if one's child doesn't feel the need of anything fancy, he/she may be influenced by other kids' possessions and the desire may sprout in the child's heart.

they are that simple, they are that easy to please and my kids are like that.. thank God.

To each their own kala. It depends on the environment that a child is brought up in. There are several levels and children brought up under each of these levels find their happiness without even knowing that they are at a particular level. If a child is fed with almonds it will think that is its staple food. Children are simple no doubt but their own ambitions at a later date make them what they are - not necessarily parents.

AH, YES!!! We used to laugh incessantly, at the fact, "A most desired toy, from Santa," would sit under the Christmas tree, where the great big cardboard box in came in was played with for hours...a real source of entertainment and challenge! I truly believe your observation is bang on!

Hi kalav, This is so very true. Children are naturally happy, style doesn't matter to them - even clothing doesn't matter. It is only when adults step in that problems arise. Children will happily play with pots and pans, but parents have to buy them expensive toys. Children know nothing about discrimination, racism or religious views, they are just friends. In many ways we must all become as little children if we want to be happy and live in peace. Blessings.

Children are able to play with anything. It´s not because they are simple but because they learn from everything. They can play with expensive toys and turn an orange into a ball. But we have created a kind of society where the value of a person depends on his material wealth. And we teach that to our children. Pity.

Hi kala di... Hmmm. Nice thought indeed. If i look baclkward to my childhood, them i feel myself among them. I was also raised in a very poor family and my father was a simple school master. I lived in a village and habituated myself with a cowboy type image. Played under sun, jumped to river, played cricket on dry paddy fields and so on. It gave me immense plasure and still recollect all those days. I think, how much our next generation is missing from nature. Have a nice time.

I completely agree with you on this one. My children do not have a ton of gadgets or the greatest toys to play with but they are happy and grateful for anything they get. My other siblings children have the latest and greatest of everything and I don't think they are as happy or as grateful as my children. Now they expect things like that where as my children don't. If they get something they are thrilled, and most of what they do get comes from the Dollar Stores... Kids are not complicated and they enjoy the simplest things in life. It is some parents who make things complicated for them.

being a child is the most fun part of our lives. It's sad that not all of us have a happy childhood memory specially those poor children or the one who is being molested and abused.

Hi Kala mam, adding to your point, I would add another reason which makes our life and also today's kids life complicated. It is the environment. In social life, many things are shown hype than what it is. The true personality of anything is not exposed. It gives stress to both kids and parents to change their understanding about their life to another which is usually different from natural.

I do believe that children nowadays are very exposed to medias such as computer, television and they derived and mimic the things they can see in those mediums. Some parents are also tolerating their children to be such complicated beings by raising them to be achievers and whatsoever disregarding the fact that children should be allowed to play and enjoy their childhood. I have this niece that was raised by her parents thinking that she is superior to everybody. She do want she wants and force her parents to have this and have that. So basically, she is spoiled due to the toleration given by her parents.

Personally it is Society and Adults out there that seem to make children so complicated and all the parents that are continually pushing their children to be and do more than they are really capable or wanting to do. Now a days there is not the time to be a kid anymore, it is always homework, or housework, Sports, etc. and never time for them to just relax and be a child. It makes me miss the days where I was growing up and you could play with your friends until 9 or 10 at night and no one really having to worry.

Dear friend, I feel childern expression do not have mcuh artificiality if they do it and it is comes from their heart. But as they grew up those poisons are injected to their mind. These goes as they have to tackle a lot to live in present world. But most people I hope usually like those with orignal and simplicity.

kalav56 kids are simple and basic and yes we parents and adults are what makes them complicated/ we take an almost perfect thing and want to improve but instead we just complicate matters. if they are not broken then why the hell are we trying to fix them,? leave care free kids be themselves as all too soon they grow up and find out for them selves how screwed up life can be, or how we tried to screw it up. sometimes young people sill keep a lot of the simple and basic and use their imaginations.,some people who live on farms tend to keep a lot of that carefree joyouness as theylive simpler less complicated lives.

Kala, even for us the best memories are those of childhood and the joy you felt at little things get imprinted on your mind so much so that even today I can remember some of them vividly.At that age ,You just needed a full stomach and thats it...

Yes, in Indo we say that children is just like a blank paper. You can write anything on it. So, it really depends on the parents how they decide to shape their children. To let them free and learn from their mistakes, to control them and give so little choices on their future, or to frighten them to instill obedience... it's all first and mostly parent's role.

The people around them makes them ore complicated. When they ear kid they was innocent and they were free. They do not pay much attention to the clothes which they wear, they do not pay much attention to things like that. They always looked to have a good time with their friends and parents but later the people around them and the movies around them has turned them and finally they are completely changed.