Do you think kids today are spoiled?

[Xfujinon]

Kids mostly sicken me. I got a vasectomy for Christmas last year. My wife and I still think it is the best thing we've ever decided on.

Do I think kids are overall more spoiled/rotten/insubordinate/irritating than they've been in past generations? Not really. The trouble has to do with the nature of the societal shift that is taking place now. It has nothing to do with kids, it has to do with our society in general, in which kids serve an increasingly more visible role with the internet, Facebook, etc. Moreover, kids seem to be protected by laws and regulations today (i.e., spanking) than previously existed.

I don't really identify with my age group, and I never really did. I wish I was my Grandpa. He gets through life with a good attitude, a simple set of desires, lots of hobbies to pass the time, and no desire whatsoever to acquire money or material possessions. I try every single day to be like that. Turns out most of the rest of America isn't. Makes me wonder why we have a big giant bubble bursting in our economy which is attempting to convince our population that we need to live on about 40% less of what we convinced ourselves we need to live on.

Oh well. I don't like children, and I'll probably always remain a hypocrite because I will criticize parents and teachers without ever being one myself (well, a parent anyway...). I just don't understand the fascination with children, procreation, etc. I feel a greater contribution to the world can be made by mentoring and healing the broken persons already out there instead of feeling some need to clone myself.

 

[Iscariot]

If they're passed their expiry date, smell them. A spoiled child will smell musty or "sour", and visually they may appear chalky or with a green tint, although this usually comes on later.

 

[63dot]

I feel kinda old just asking this question (I'm 21) but I just saw a thread about a 14 year old that wants an iPhone and decided to start this one.

It just weirds me out a bit seeing how kids today act about material things.

What do you guys think?

Materialism has always been rampant, it's just that the toys are more sophisticated and could do so much more.

When my younger brother was a kid in the early 80s, he wanted $30 dollar OP shirts and shorts ($20), which were off the hook expensive in those days.

When I was his age in the 70s, we wanted lots and lots of records and cassette tapes and having a big collection was costly. Back then, if there wasn't a single 45 (one song on each side), you had to buy the whole darn album if you really had to have a song or two. Some rich kids got an electric typewriter, koa surfboard, or vacations. Though a computer would have been out of the question unless you were both rich and a nerd. A couple or three grand would get you a home computer but that was a ton of money in the mid-70s and were not all that easy to use or applicable like today's Macbooks and iMacs. A couple or three grand would have bought a kid a really nice used car with extras in 1975, but of course many would be too young to drive.

 

[Macky-Mac]

kids today aren't spoiled....they're just clueless! Their parents like them that way because it keeps the kids happy and happy kids make the parents happy.

 

[CalBoy]

I just don't understand the fascination with children, procreation, etc.

It really is one of those things that I think some of us are suited for while others of us aren't. There's nothing wrong with that, since we all can't be everything.

I'd imagine that you would have liked to vote in this poll[/quote] though.

I feel a greater contribution to the world can be made by mentoring and healing the broken persons already out there instead of feeling some need to clone myself.

No reason you can't do both; you could always adopt.

 

[gentlegiantcrai]

IMO

I think this question is redundant because every generation will say the same thing about the younger generation.

It goes back to saying, "when I was your age, we didnt have telephones" > Next Generation: "When I was your age, we didnt have cellphones" > NExt Generation: "When I was your age, we didnt have ......."

Every generation will have something new that will supposedly make life more simpler.

SO, Yes I think Kids are spoiled. But that is what our parents said about us, and that is what our grandparents said about our parents. It is a never ending cycle, but I hope everyone can see my point.

 

[anjinha]

IMO

I think this question is redundant because every generation will say the same thing about the younger generation.

It goes back to saying, "when I was your age, we didnt have telephones" > Next Generation: "When I was your age, we didnt have cellphones" > NExt Generation: "When I was your age, we didnt have ......."

Every generation will have something new that will supposedly make life more simpler.

SO, Yes I think Kids are spoiled. But that is what our parents said about us, and that is what our grandparents said about our parents. It is a never ending cycle, but I hope everyone can see my point.

The issue is not that this generation has things that the previous ones didn't. The issue is how kids in this generation get those things. In my opinion kids today get stuff too easily, demand what they want and don't value what they have.

 

[CalBoy]

The issue is how kids in this generation get those things. In my opinion kids today get stuff too easily, demand what they want and don't value what they have.

But don't you see the beauty of this: every generation thinks that.

Our parents think that they worked harder than we do, and so did their parents, and so on.

It's entirely a game of perception.

 

[GfPQqmcRKUvP]

CalBoy is spot on. What fuels this stereotype is that perception changes with age and, as demonstrated sometimes in this thread, jealousy. The jealousy aspect is particularly worrying to me, however, because people just can't seem to deal with the reality that just because someone was given something by his or her parents that you didn't get doesn't necessarily make that kid a spoiled brat and you some kind of "angel" that really understands the value of money.

 

[anjinha]

Just added a poll.

 

[anjinha]

CalBoy is spot on. What fuels this stereotype is that perception changes with age and, as demonstrated sometimes in this thread, jealousy. The jealousy aspect is particularly worrying to me, however, because people just can't seem to deal with the reality that just because someone was given something by his or her parents that you didn't get doesn't necessarily make that kid a spoiled brat and you some kind of "angel" that really understands the value of money.

I don't think it's just perception.

I don't think a kid is spoiled just because his parents give him things. I think a kid is spoiled when a kid gets so many things that he starts getting demanding and feeling entitled to everything he wants, and not valuing what he already has. And I've been seing too much kids like that lately.

If parents can afford to give their kids everything they want that's great. But the kids should deserve them by doing chores, getting good grades, being well behaved, respectful to others, and learning to value those things or whatever. Kids shouldn't feel entitled to them just because they want them.

 

[GfPQqmcRKUvP]

I don't think a kid is spoiled just because his parents give him things. I think a kid is spoiled when a kid gets so many things that he starts getting demanding and feeling entitled to everything he wants, and not valuing what he already has.

How would you feel about a 16 year old who gets a brand new BMW M3 for his birthday, a 16GB iPhone 3G when it comes out, and a Macbook Air as his computer? Oh, I forgot, this kid also does well in school, is respectful to elders, and doesn't get into trouble.

 

[Cromulent]

How would you feel about a 16 year old who gets a brand new BMW M3 for his birthday, a 16GB iPhone 3G when it comes out, and a Macbook Air as his computer? Oh, I forgot, this kid also does well in school, is respectful to elders, and doesn't get into trouble.

I'd think lucky kid. I wouldn't begrudge him that though.

Some people are better off than me. Moaning about it just makes me petty. So what if someone has nicer stuff than me at an earlier age? I'd like to think my life has more important parts to it than mere materialism.

I don't have the time to waste thinking about it.

 

[GfPQqmcRKUvP]

I'd think lucky kid. I wouldn't begrudge him that though.

That's good, but it's apparent from this thread that some are petty enough to do so. I have a feeling that some in this thread would have a problem with that, and might also assume that the mere possession of those items precludes the child of being grounded in reality or placing the "right" value on the importance of hard work.

If you're going to call a kid spoiled because of the material possessions he has, then you open yourself up to criticism for the things you actually do have. Putting things in perspective, a child from a 3rd world nation with no access to clean drinking water could accuse you of being spoiled for things you might consider par for the course. You probably don't feel spoiled for your parents buying you toilet paper, and as long as you don't feel that you're somehow superior because of your access to toilet paper, I don't see how having something that someone else considers excessive is somehow indicative of your personal sense of entitlement or value of money.

 

[bbbensen]

Well, I would have to say Im spoiled. But I go to a private school, and compared to some of these kids, Im dirt poor. Every where I look, people have ridiculously expensive stuff that my parents would never buy me.

I am 14, I have a MacBook Pro, and iPod Touch, and a medium class cell phone. I got the MacBook Pro for my birthday after my iBook died, and the iPod came with it. I upgraded it to 16 GB, but I paid for it myself.

I got my first cell phone the summer before going into 6th grade. My mother was a teacher at my elementary school, so I had always gone to her room after school. My mother started to freak out about not knowing where I was, so she got me a cell phone. It was an expensive one at all. It was simply a phone. I could call people, and thats it. The only times I used it was when I needed to call my parents to ask where they were. After I lost that (never found out what happened to it....) I got a Go Phone until our contract expired. I got 25 minutes a month, so I didnt waste it on pointless chatter. Now, I have a pretty nice phone, and I like it. It suits my needs (aka texting and being a phone) and thats all I need.

I dont ask my parents for ridiculously expensive items. Im not going to ask my parents for a new car when I get my drivers license. More than likely, Ill be driving my moms 2000 Subaru. I would love to have a nicer car, but do I really need one?

What drives me mad is when someone gets something that I would love to have, say an iPhone, and treat it like its nothing. When I get something nice, I take care of it, and try to have it last as long as possible.

The spoiled-ness of the kids also carries over to out classes too. Some of them expect to get A/B's by simply not doing anything. Sure, my school is hard (Im currently up because I gotta have a paper in tomorrow, its 12 am ), but couldn't they try a little bit?

[Woo for 300th post! )

 

[anjinha]

How would you feel about a 16 year old who gets a brand new BMW M3 for his birthday, a 16GB iPhone 3G when it comes out, and a Macbook Air as his computer? Oh, I forgot, this kid also does well in school, is respectful to elders, and doesn't get into trouble.

I wouldn't say he's spoiled because he has those things. From what you described he doesn't seem spoiled. As I said several times in this thread I don't think a kid is spoiled just because he has fancy things.

For me spoiled are the kids who don't value what they have, that just keep asking for things and when they get what they want they demand for more, and do nothing to deserve them.

And what is sad is that I see a lot of parents struggling to give their kids things that they can't afford just to try to make them happy, and the kids don't appreciate it and just act like they're entitled to them.

 

[PowerFullMac]

I feel kinda old just asking this question (I'm 21) but I just saw a thread about a 14 year old that wants an iPhone and decided to start this one.

It just weirds me out a bit seeing how kids today act about material things.

What do you guys think?

I'm a 14 year old with a iPhone.

No, I dont agree.

 

[RosieKins]

A cool question to ask is: what are the children of tomorrow going to be 'spoiled' with?

I think teleporters!

In reply to the question: I'm a mother of one 6 month old son, but we won the lottery last year, so it's all uphill since then. When my son grows up a little I'll give him whatever he desires, however i'll give him something to do for it. Like a challenge!

best,
Rosie.

 

[rhsgolfer33]

How would you feel about a 16 year old who gets a brand new BMW M3 for his birthday, a 16GB iPhone 3G when it comes out, and a Macbook Air as his computer? Oh, I forgot, this kid also does well in school, is respectful to elders, and doesn't get into trouble.

I'd be fine with it. I think the the car is a little ridiculous but everything else, who cares, the kid has earned it at least.

I know some of the richest people in the area in which I live, and their kids drive Subaru WRX (non STI) and a 2003 or so Jeep Cherokee. They are quite happy with these cars as well and didn't demand more expensive and more excessive vehicles. I don't think any 16 year old should get a car with that much power and that costs that much for his or her 16th birthday, but thats just me; even if I made millions I wouldn't put my teenager in an M3 as their first car; an Audi A4 or a BMW 1 series, maybe, but not a $50,000 car with close to 400 horsepower, thats asking for trouble. I knew a 16 year old that had a Bentley, she couldn't even drive to school for fear of it getting damaged; whats the point of that? Maybe after they graduated college I would consider purchasing them an M3 or higher end car, but in high school its definitely not a good idea.

 

[PowerFullMac]

How would you feel about a 16 year old who gets a brand new BMW M3 for his birthday, a 16GB iPhone 3G when it comes out, and a Macbook Air as his computer? Oh, I forgot, this kid also does well in school, is respectful to elders, and doesn't get into trouble.

Nothing wrong with that at all.

 

[BigHungry04]

I was spoiled. I had everything I needed, and a lot of what I wanted. I didn't have a car until I was able to the only person listed on the title. Due to not knowing how to manage my money, I was massively in debt until about 2003 when I turned 21, and was able to sell some stocks and savings bonds I had. Once out of debt, I stayed out of debt. I only spend money on things I need.

Yes some people are spoiled, but they will learn how to live without their parents eventually. It shouldn't matter if people are spoiled or not.

 

[GfPQqmcRKUvP]

Kids mostly sicken me. I got a vasectomy for Christmas last year. My wife and I still think it is the best thing we've ever decided on.

Let's remember that even you were a kid at some point...

I feel a greater contribution to the world can be made by mentoring and healing the broken persons already out there instead of feeling some need to clone myself.

And how about by trusting in your parenting abilities to produce a child who leaves the world a better off place than he or she entered it in?

Besides that, good post.

 

[dmr727]

How would you feel about a 16 year old who gets a brand new BMW M3 for his birthday, a 16GB iPhone 3G when it comes out, and a Macbook Air as his computer? Oh, I forgot, this kid also does well in school, is respectful to elders, and doesn't get into trouble.

I don't begrudge the kid (this was you, I presume) - like someone else mentioned - it's not like I'd ever turn those things down at that age. But you're kidding yourself if you think it doesn't affect the kid's personality somewhat.

 

[maestro55]

I am only 20, so isn't like I have been around for entirely long time; however, I do agree teenagers are getting more now than when I was a teenager, or what seems like more. Of course mind you that even when I was in high school and didn't have my own cell phone (I sometimes carried one when I had something to do after school, but it was a spare phone we had that anytime one of us had to stay after my parents would give it to us) I remember tons of my peers who had phones (at that time the Razor was the most popular it seemed).

Now I do remember getting a cheap classic MP3 player in 8th grade (whoever made that brand, they were very cheap at the time, under $100 for an MP3 Player) and all my peers were carrying around CD Players. I also remember getting my 60GB iPod with money I earned pulling cable all summer long and I was the cool kid for about a semester and then after the Holidays everyone showed up with all kinds of iPods.

I was one of the few with a notebook computer but that is just because I was a nerd.

 

[Much Ado]

Our entire society has evolved around consumerism. What did everyone expect?