Are children spoiled these days?

[Sugar Pea 2,680]

Yeah, I understand that parents would do anything for their children, and I mean anything. But to go out and buy your five year old an ipad, a laptop, or even a phone?

Another thing I have noticed about the children of this generation is that they aren't taught discipline. 

Not only children, but teens too. 

I mean, you don't buy your children's love, you have to earn it....simple as that.

I came up with this topic idea because not to long ago, I was at Walmart with my mom when I look over at this little girl throwing a tantrum because her mom was trying to get food for the dogs, crying "NO I DON'T WANT THAT, GET ME THIS" and blubbering about.

 

Sure I get it, she's a child, and we all had our share of tantrums when we were little i'm sure. 
I'm just saying, too many children/teens don't know discipline and don't understand that their parents can't bring stuff to them on a silver platter. I blame the parents.

Edited August 16, 2013 by Nature Of Fluttershy

[BrainyBrony 252]

I technically am a child (Well, a teenager) and I'm the polar opposite of spoiled. I have two paper rounds, one weekly, one monthly, to get paid as well as some pocket money for helping around the house. Most of the stuff I buy now is with my own money, with the exception of clothes, because I couldn't care less about buying them.  Most of the time, my parents won't let me spend my own money anyways. Some children are ridiculously spoiled though, like one of my friends. He gets all of the big video game releases pre-ordered for him, owns expensive video editing software he doesn't use and owns 200-300 Xbox games. 

[Shanks 10,811]

In far too many cases the answer is an unfortunate yes, alot of them are just handed everything and made to really earn anything they get. How is anyone supposed to appreciate what they have if they aren't even taught the value of what they have in the first place? I see kids as young as 5 with phones and I didn't even get my first phone until I was 18 and it was a beat up hand me down me Dad gave me.

[Argos 191]

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Edited March 16, 2014 by Argos

[. eris . 1,661]

Unfortunately, in my opinion, I would have to say yes. Far too many kids are entitled these days, getting whatever they want with a minimum amount of fuss. Or, if they do need to fuss, they attempt suicide. (Not bashing any clinically depressed people about wanting to commit suicide - just the pseudo-emo-teens who think they are.) 

 

When I was a kid (gosh I feel old), if I threw a tantrum in the supermarket over something I wanted we went home. Right then and there, my mother would drop all the groceries and cart me home. I learned pretty quickly not to beg or plead for anything, and it certainly helped my powers of persuasion once I got old enough to learn how to ask for something without really asking for something. 

 

Something which, I might add, has helped me enormously as an adult.   

 

Edit: Something I'd like to add is this:

 

The most disrespectful child I've ever seen isn't a child at all, it's a woman about my age. (Not 98, but think college-age.) She treats her mother horribly, insults her parents publicly, texts during dinners over other people's houses, and swears like a sailor. 

 

I don't think its just "kids these days". People from the 90s generation are pretty spoiled as well.

Edited August 16, 2013 by Miss Earl Grey

[Celtore 2,769]

I agree with you completely. I first received a cellphone when I was 16, it was a prepaid one for emergencies. I look around now and see really young kids with tablets and phones. What ever happened to imagination and playing with action figures and small train sets with wooden tracks? I think imagination is a very important part of childhood and technology isn't good for kids of that age.

 

I am really dating myself with this post I know, but you're right to blame the parents. They get their kid stuff that whey wanted when they were young that THEIR parents wouldn't give them. So yes, theyre trying to be a good parent by giving their offspring more stuff. It really isn't a good method for parenting, give them that expensive stuff maybe when they're older and ready for such responsibility or have earned it somehow like how I earned my 50 dollar Lego set. That was a month and a half of drying dishes so I knew the value of my purchase.

 

Sure you could argue that times change, but I don't think this is change for the better. In fact, I bet the other reason parents are buying phones and tablets for their kids is so they can stop being parents and let the technology do their job. Overall, I see no reason why I would give my potential future five year old a phone, I would be a good father and teach him or her about these things when the time is right.

Edited August 16, 2013 by Celtore

[Potato Sprout 109]

Well, I would say, yeah. I'm a bit spoiled myself tbh. It doesn't mean I don't appreciate when I get things for free. I have a hard time accepting things for free. But some free cash doesn't really hurt me. But yeah. Kids are spoiled. Seriously, why do I see 5 year olds with IPhones... I got my first crappy phone when I was 13 and that was because I got diabetes and really needed one.... -.-

[~StatesTheOblivious~ 1,794]

Well, in some way, yes. I still meet kids that are not spoiled and actually well behaved, but I think those who are spoiled are... flashier and kinda common these days.

 

I think one of the main issues is the dissolution of classic family structures and that in many cases both parents have a job. They don't have the time and often lack in the knowledge of how to be good parents. There are still many good ones out there, undoubtably. But they disappear...

 

I don't know how bad it is in other countries, but here not one day passes without me seeing at least one really spoiled child...

 

It was bad when I was small, but today it's worse... And I'll have to rely on those kids when I get old. Woohoo...

[SandmanTheTerrible 27]

Amen. Yes, children are spoiled. I was a bit spoiled myself when I was little, but I was taught discipline, respect, and a value system. I am extremely grateful for everything that has been done for me, and now I am a bit of a workaholic. Truthfully when I was little my favorite toys was cardboard and duct tape. But yes children are spoiled, and their parents often refuse to discipline them. Now they show no respect and frankly its sickening.

[myzz7 73]

Spoiling a child with technology isn't new. What I find more dangerous for the current generation is the lack of person to person contact within their own families. Got a troublesome kid that needs to sit still? Sit them down in front of a television. That's been going on for awhile but nowadays, the culture has changed to DS handhelds in 5 year old hands when outside the house, and TV when inside the house. Tons of impressionistic junk piles onto the kids and they see their own parents ignoring them with their own electronics, like laptops, tablets, and especially smart phones.

 

Kids are out of touch with fundamental values that can be achieved with sitting down with a parent and sharing personal time over a book, or a board game. Even watching television together would be beneficial, but that's going out of style really quick -- just like family dinners.

 

Its not the fact that kids are spoiled, an issue that confronts every generation in comparison to the last, but that the kids are being spoiled into a false world of diversions. They're not learning the core traits of the hardworking archetype of 50 years ago. And worse yet, they're being spoon-fed media junk that requires no critical thought. As a small tangent, I find the lack of problem solving reasoning the most apalling of kids this generation. When a child can't beat a straight forward NES game from the 80s -- like Mario World or something similiar -- then I truly fear for the next generation beginning today. There are sharks out there that will absolutely grind the naivety and ignorance of the masses into horrendous scenarios.

Edited August 16, 2013 by myzz7

[Little Lizards 91]

Though I am a kid, I think kids are very spoiled these days. (Myself included, we often go out for dinner and get dessert with it or we go out to dinner on weeknights) What good does giving an iPhone to your child do? 

 

Another thought is, they never earn the value of money if they're spoiled. Buying your own things makes you learn the value of money, teaches you how to be patient and save your money. I buy some things for myself (Electronics, MLP stuff, and the occasional piece of clothing) and there is a sense of self pride when I know I've saved up money to buy something and when I actually buy the item, it brings me even more pride to know I saved my money to buy something. 

[Fluttershyfan94 5,737]

Yeah they are, I don't know what happened. I never got anything for free when I was a kid, if I was given something it was as an award for doing good in school. I never asked for anything and I didn't dare doing so, your parents already give you free shelter, food and you can't expect them to give you more then that. If they do, it should only be because you're being awarded. My childhood was simple, my parents would always be there to help me get stuff but I would always have to pay for it myself and if I needed a little extra they would pitch in. They taught me that if you wanted something you have to work hard for it, nothing is free.

 

I see kids getting iPads, iPods, laptops and other fancy electronics. I felt spoiled when getting a cheap toy, how do kids feel that get stuff like that for free. Do they even feel grateful, unless they have worked for it then they can't. I always feel very grateful, I feel bad accepting the smallest amounts of money.

 

I don't know why it's happening but kids are getting more and more spoiled but I guess it's only because there are a lot more electronics now. There are so many fancy expensive things you can give to a kid now that you couldn't back when I was a child. I'm not saying that all kids are spoiled it's just disturbing how many are.

[Mr F 1,520]

I am not a good excample, but I agree almost all 10 year olds and youger behave too badly agaist others. They seem to get anything they want and act likt they rule the world. (well I am 15 and I do not have the best language but yeah) Children are not all spoiled but they almost "try to be it". When one kid acts badly it spreads like fire in dry grass covered in fuel. When a kid acts like that I just speak like an adult and they will either go nuts or at least be nicer.  

Kids loves annoying me. 

[Akemi Homura 7,680]

Don't kid yourself, OP. We're all spoiled. We don't have to work for much these days. We have machines that can do it for us. Even our parents bust their asses just so we can chill on the computer luxuriously or play a video game here and there. When the time does come for people to put on a little elbow grease, they either end up giving up or whine about how difficult it is. While it does sound a embarrassing, it's just the result of a good deed. It can't be helped, much. Our ancestors worked hard to give us the lives we have today. Don't confuse not being appreciative of their effort with being spoiled.

 

Who wants to work, anyway? Honestly. It's a "pain" that our parents spared us the trouble from doing much of, or at least attempted to. When I look at video footage of the trenches in World War I, it pains me to think what life would be like if we were the ones to live (and die) in those dirty, saggy, muddy rows of hell. Alas, it's something we were spared from. There's no shame in it. I won't call my work ethic into question, or anyone else's; it's simply a matter of discipline and respect, all in all. If you have it, who is anyone else to complain?

 

This much more of a matter of entitlement. I don't ever see kids making a fuss about what they don't have, presumably because their parents raised them well enough. That's another thing that can be skewed around: your perception. It's easily to conclude something is bigger than it really is only due to media coverage of it. We see "it" on the internet, television, etc. and as a result it's quite easy to jump to conclusions.

 

 

 

I agree with you completely. I first received a cellphone when I was 16, it was a prepaid one for emergencies. I look around now and see really young kids with tablets and phones. What ever happened to imagination and playing with action figures and small train sets with wooden tracks?

 

Ever heard of something called "Moore's Law"?

It's an observation from a trend which states that the number of integrated circuits in computing hardware doubles every two years (or so). For example, with PCs and mobile phones becoming more and more ultramodern, efficient, and easy-to-use (not to mention inexpensive), why is it such a surprise to see them as common devices around the block?

This is the information age, homeboy. Embrace it.

[takai 1,060]

As someone who works part time at both GameStop and Target, I think yes, many children are spoiled. But, I think it's mostly due to bad parenting. There isn't one day that goes by that I don't see some brat crying over an extremely frivolous object that they'll play with for 2 seconds and then drop it and beg for the next thing.

 

However, I do see some actual good parents that keep their kids under control and good mannered. Unfortunately they're few and far between.

 

Another great reason why I never plan on having ankle biters of my own.

[Scootalove 10,684]

I've seen a lot of children being spoiled these days, especially when they want something so badly. Basically, the parents let the games and computers teach their children instead of actually taking care of their children. Some children just play something for 2 seconds, then just never play it again.

[Planty 1,052]

I would say that everyone has more nowdays, and in that way, yeah I guess that people are spoiled.

 

I think there are alot that are not but we just don't see them, it's always the child with the expensive phone ect that we see. In that respect I've not seen loads of them, but I defiantly agree that children are getting technology younger.

 

I didn't get a phone till I was really old!!!! 

[~Silver Essence~ 2,621]

I'll be honest, YES.....

 

Let's face it, I blame parents why are they so spoiled, it's the parents job to take care of their children and make sure they grow up to be a better place to this world.

 

But thanks to the knowledge of this world, teen parents, and those who don't give a damn, most end up stupid, and lead up towards more stupid spoiled children...

 

I know it sounds harsh, but that's my theory.

[AdrianJames 26]

Im 14 btw. I dont think that kids acting spoiled is completely or mostly from having a lot of technology and stuff. I myself have a really good phone and I use my moms laptop (she doesnt use it cause its old so its basically mine). The thing is that I KNOW Im lucky and I know my family is able to afford things, but I am still very thankful for it and I dont expect to be getting that kind of expensive stuff, or even getting stuff all the time. Im the one in the family a lot of times who is telling people I dont need something or not to buy something because they shouldnt spend their money on me or whatever they are buying. I dont think its the actual objects that are making people really spoiled and acting spoiled. I think its the actual kids who are thinking that they need this stuff. Kids are learning things at such a younger age. I can go by an elementary school and hear 1st graders are swearing! I didnt even know what those words meant until last year. They are learning things at younger and younger ages. People can be spoiled but not act spoiled. They need to know they are lucky to have stuff. They cant keep learning that its ok to keep asking for things. Its nice to have things, but sometimes you have to wait and be more realistic. Sorry, Im nit sure if Im making sense anymore.

 

Its ok to have the physical stuff. What matters is how you think about it and how you act.

Edited August 16, 2013 by AdrianJames

[dishraglord 41]

I don't think I can put it much better then Mami did but I'll try. I'm not much of a one to be talking about this because I'm a kid as well and I'm spoiled, let me just share an example for y'all to ponder about. I'm spoiled because I own many electronics, including an iPad and a 3ds most notably, and even though I have those devices all I really want is for my mom to buy a PC that's actually good, I know I have my devices that I use daily to use the Internet and games, but I want a PC because I'm spoiled and want more of the Internet and games. I'm not very demanding to my parents about wanting things but still spoiled nonetheless, everyone is spoiled nowadays.

 

That's just how it goes now, tell me please, if your dad says today you can go fix the fence or play video games and use the Internet, which would you rather do? I think we all know what option we should pick, but its not what most of us would like to do. In a day and age where technology goes so hand and hand with our daily lives, it only seems natural for everyone, even the younger children to have access to it. I'll say that many parents aren't that great and use technology as a medium for parenting, but some parents don't really have much of a choice, if both the parents work daily to have as good of a life for them and their kids, then why not give them nice gifts to make up for the time they have to spend working? Might as well use that money they make though, amirite doe?

Edited August 16, 2013 by Huntailstrike

[Dis is not a troll 27]

oh i know how you feel,my little sis at 7 acctually HAVE a dad,and what kind of dad he is,he alone has given her anything,from a stationary pc a laptop,ipad mini a keyboard for the ipad mini,a flat screen tv and SO MUCH ELSE and she IS SO SPOILED.earier today i said "put the phone were it belongs" and she came back with tears in her eyes and were furius and whatnot DX it pisses me off AND she is richer than me,i don't have a tv i dont have ps1 ps2 ps3 no xbox or wee.how do you think i feel when my friends talk about games ? XD 

Edited August 16, 2013 by Salom Muffin

[~Chaos~ 3,966]

I'd say that this is true, I mean if you think about it, just living in the countries we do, we are all quite spoiled, but I know that is slightly different. I do notice that certain kids are more spoiled these days, getting all the new electronics and stuff like that. They grow up with Ipads and everything like that, back in the day we never had those, quite the difference, but certain cases like this one kid who got something like a ipod or iphone for christmas, and blew a fit because they didn't get the colour they wanted, are quite silly, to say the least.

 

Overall, I'd say they are a bit more spoiled and disrespectful, but it comes down to the parent in the end.

[Shanks 10,811]

Spoiling a child with technology isn't new. What I find more dangerous for the current generation is the lack of person to person contact within their own families.

Families have been falling apart for the last few decades and I find it sad, part of it is economic as more and more households have to have both parents working more and more to simply make a living thanks to our inflationary economic and monetary policies which leaves less time to properly raise the children but it is also the culture. Much of it stems from the parents themselves, I work at a grocery store and I can't believe just many apathetic and stupid some parents really are. I see these parents letting them run around the store and have had several close calls where I was bringing out product to the sales floor and almost rammed into a kid that appeared out of nowhere. And worse yet is some of them even let them run around in the parking lot, I can't even tell you how many times I saw some poor kid almost become street pizza, there have been a few times where I almost became street pizza and I am a fully grown responsible adult who takes his time and tries to be aware of his surroundings. 

[Dark Moon 965]

Oh god yes. I see more and more little kids(5 year old the other day) with fracing iPads, I don't even have one of those. I still have my potato of a phone, which is a hand me down btw from my mom. I got my first phone when I was 14/15. Sure some kids have always been spoiled rotten, but it is getting much worse. 

 

Here comes the idiocracy.

[soniccam1 242]

Welcome to my world, (no really my world)

Kids under the age of 12 are spoiled these days, I mean a 10 year old getting an iPhone 5? Isn't it a bit to much?

My sister, which is what I like to call a "Spoiled Brat". Always every dinner she gets the same thing every night, Spoiled kids, tend to be picky eaters.

Also my sister got herself an iPod Touch (4th gen), this year when she was 9 years old.

However, I'm not spoiled.

Isn't it too much they kids are now spoiled now?