Have you notice the attitude of todays kids

**lovestolaugh** · 01-01-2008, 05:35 PM

I am new member to the village although I have been reading it for the last few months. So, hello everyone! It's nice to be here!

I just wanted to share a story that my brother told me. A few months ago my brother offered to take a couple of kids on his sons football team out and buy them each a new pair of cleats. He new that both the kids parents didn't have the money needed for the cleats and he wanted to help out. My brother has a huge heart is always trying to help others. Anyways, he took the kids to the sporting goods store to get the cleats and do you know that because he refused to buy the most expensive pair of cleats they had, both boys said no thanks to any cleats. I'm proud that my brother didn't give in to the kids demands. I am absolutley floored by the kids unappreciative attitude. It just gets me so angry about todays kids. They all have and elitest(sp?) attitude. I have two of my own kids and I fight very hard to teach them the value of a dollar and also appreciation for all that they have. Does anybody else notice this problem with todays kids?

I think my generation (30's - 40's) have made a huge error is how we are raising our kids today. I realise that most parents want to give their kids the things that they themselves didn't have growing up. But what they fail to realize is that because we weren't handed everything as kids it made us work hard to get those things for ourselves. The struggle and scrafice that we grew up with helped make us the hard workers we are today. I think we rob our children of the chance to feel the satisfaction of providing for themselves. Anyways, I just wanted your thoughts about this. Thanks for listening to me rant!!!

**latierra84** · 01-01-2008, 05:38 PM

I'm glad that he didn't give in and just buy them whatever they wanted. I have a kid brother and sister and sometimes its like they think "more expensive" automatically means "better". It's so hard to get them to wrap their minds around the idea that that is NOT TRUE.

**sdrjeolsen** · 01-01-2008, 05:49 PM

Ya, I see it too. I work hard to get my kids to not have that mentality, but it is hard with the peer pressure, I am constantly fighting it and calling them on things. I'm glad your brother didn't give in. That was so nice of him, he has a big heart.

And, by the way, Welcome!!!

**Daisygirl** · 01-01-2008, 05:57 PM

I'd die of embarrassment if my daughters ever behaved so ungratefully. How disgusting. On occasion I will offer them something they don't care for, or there is a different version they want. if it is appropriate for them, but more expensive, I let them have it if they are willing to pay the difference out of their own pocket or with extra not-so-pleasant chores. 9 times out of 10, it is not worthwhile to them to have the more expensive item. On occasion it is and I always always always make them take care of the difference.

We have some neighbors who are on and off of welfare. Their children seem to have that same sense of entitlement you aredescribing. One girl tagged along with Chloe, my 12 year old to the mall. When they got back in the car I discovered she had persuaded Chloe to buy lunch, and pay for $20 worth of stuff for her. She told Chloe she would pay her back but I knew that would never happen. I told her she could take care of her debt by helping Chloe with some extra chores around the house. The child was irate that I would suggest she actually EARN the money. She felt those things should be given to her because we had more and it was our "responsiblity to help those less fortunate." She used those exact words! I could not beleive it.

After we took the girl home I took the opportunity to explain that lending money to certain people is nearly always a gift. They simply have no way or intention of paying it back. She has been much more careful with her money since then. A sad lesson to have to teach a 12 year old, isn't it?

Oh, by the way, welcome to the village!

**PAVallygrl** · 01-01-2008, 05:59 PM

Good for your brother for not giving in. Ungrateful BRATS is all I can say. Makes me wonder what kind of manners, along with other things, they are being taught at home.

**wulong32** · 01-01-2008, 06:04 PM

OMG! I cant believe the nerve on those kids! If I had ever done that when I was a kid, my mom would have, in her words, "Slap me to sleep, then slap me for sleepin"

**nancycg56** · 01-01-2008, 09:38 PM

I don't blame the kids as much as I blame the parents ~ kids learn attitudes at home.

**annymoll** · 01-01-2008, 09:46 PM

The apple does not fall far from the tree.

**emily_hope** · 01-01-2008, 10:24 PM

That is sad. How wonderful of your brother to be so generous and how sad that the kids were not able to appreciate it.

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 01-02-2008, 03:21 AM

Yes, I've noticed it in many kids/teens...what a disgraceful attitude!!

What's sad to me is I notice it in many adults as well... My Dh's best friend's wife is very much a "the government owes us ________"...formula, diapers, WIC, etc. Yet they can afford pay-per-view movies, McDonalds several times a week (family of 5...one is infant), etc. It ticks me to no end. We got their kids a big bag full of Christmas presents...it's nearly the 2nd of January and they didn't even bother to call and say thank you... (Their kids are really sweet...).

As long as there are hand outs available to able-bodied people (older folks, infirm, etc. should always be helped) that "you owe me" attitude will prevail. And the hard working taxpayers will pay for it.

**Lambie** · 01-02-2008, 06:23 AM

Wow, first up what a sweet guy for trying!!!! Second, if mine ever acted that we she would certainly go without the "opportunity"!!! It was so fun to watch how my dd spent her gift cards this season...she picked the cheaper gameboy games over the DS version (both fit in her DS system) because she "could get more for her money"!!! I was proud of how she made it all stretch and got so much for her dollar!! She bought undergarments, and a much needed pair of jeans too, then put her Christmas cash from Grandma and Grandpa into her savings account!!! She is 10 years old and a frugalite in the making haha!!! You truely have to try and raise them in this light...it is a hard society to raise children in these days!!!Katy

**wildflowerpa** · 01-02-2008, 07:18 AM

I have no clue where my post went but I'll try again. What your brother did was great. Not many people would do that. When my sd came to live wth us she had spent 11 years with her mother who expeced everythingto be handed to her. And it had to be expensive. We've had quite a time of it. When my sd daughter was invited to send Christmas with her grandparents out of state I told her she was old enough to get her priorities straight and decide if she was going there with her hand held out or staying here with the people who take care of her. She stayed home. Since june she has talked 5 minutes to her mother and mabe 15 to her grandmother. Sorry to rambe on and on but I just get so mad!

**lwlynch** · 01-02-2008, 07:24 AM

Alot of kids are like that. I strive very hard to teach mine, to show respect, and how hard money is to come by. How hard some of us have to work for it. Mine I am proud to say, would think a bag of handme downs were gold. So I pride myself on holding down the peer pressure.. but it is out there. I just wish more parents spent the time to teach their children. Everyone is in such a hurry and they think that once the kids get to a certain age that they can run on autopilot. What they don't realize is that auto pilot has to be taught and retaught.
Like my mother said years ago.. Sometimes all you can do it love them a bit more, and maybe your kindness and values will rub off on them.

**wildflowerpa** · 01-02-2008, 07:48 AM

Our problem is it seems the more we try to instill good values and especially respect we see more and more of her mother in her. banging head off a brick wall so to speak

**nuisance26** · 01-02-2008, 08:06 AM

~I'm just throwing out a different theory here, but some of you seem to think it's the parents' fault that the kids are this way. Has anyone considered that some of the blame should go to the nice people who try to help? I'm thinking that many 'less fortunate' people are more 'fortunate' than anybody else and they prey on the compassion of others. I would help the TRULY needy with food and shelter and clothes but I think they should ASK for help in any other area. I think the entitlement comes from never having been so low that they had to humble themselves to ask for help. ~