Topic : 11/30 Spoiled and Entitled

As I watched the show, I just had to say out loud, "When will it STOP?"  MOST...(see the previous word) most single parents have sooo uch guilt about putting their children through a divorce and not seeing the non custodial parent enough, they try to MAKE UP for this by purchasing anything/everything their child wants....even IF it is something outrageous or put on ANOTHER credit card....it is called "KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES'S".  We NEED to put a STOP to the madness. 

1. Start explaining/teaching your child, money does not grow on trees, and when you hit the ATM at a bank, that money is NOT GIVEN to you...explain this to them how making money, putting money in the bank = getting money out of the ATM..it is not FREE.
2. Encourage your child at an early age, to be different and not wear the same items other kids do.  (WHY I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE ALLLL SCHOOLS TO GO TO UNIFORMS)
3. If you treat your teen as the first mother on the show did, when they hit the real world, they will not be able to function.  They will be in thousands of dollars of credit card debt by the time they are 21 with no way OUT! 
4. These young adults will NOT be able to function in the "real adult world."  How will they perform tasks for their employers?  How will they work as a team member?  How will they function when Mom and Dad are gone...their own personal ATM?  When Grandma/Grandpa are gone? 
5. It is soooo sad to go to the mall and hear how 9 and 10 yr olds are TALKING to the parents, DEMANDING of the parents, and the parents are the obedient puppy to these CHILDREN...what happened MOM????

I went to our local mall to get a CHILD'S NAME off of a giving tree.  I was SHOCKED at what 8 9 10 yr old boys and girls WANT for Christmas.  IPODS, X boxes, Laptops, Playstation games......HELLLLLLO????  No wonder parents are at their wits end when they are in a poverty state, if the children are asking for these types of items from a stranger off of a giving tree.

We need to STOP the madness NOW!!!  We need to TEACH our children credit card debt is not a way of living to get THINGS!  We need to have tv, radio, and actors to stop feeding the frenzie of MATERIAL THINGS to our children.  We need to step up to the plate and let them know, we want things to STOP going in this direction.  We need non custodial parents to be REAL PARENTS....you help make them, you need to help support them. 

Toys for TOTS is a super way of helping out for the needy in your area.  My youngest daughter, age 25 is a Marine and has been involved in this for the past 6 years.  GIVE GIVE GIVE...that is what the true meaning of Christmas is allllll about....REMEMBER???

Thank you for a reasonable and informative personal life post! I couldn't agree more.

My daughter is only 3 1/2 but the commercialism has started. We are already teaching her that if she wants something extra, she has to earn it. As she grows up, we want to continue to teach her how money works and how she can earn and save for the things she wants.

Your story about the kids collecting recycables was wonderful! It proves how resourceful they can be when they are not handed everything and what pride they can gain from it.

My parents never set boundaries for me when I was a kid and I could get just about whatever I wanted. They never really said "no" and meant it. Whenever they ever said "no," I could always get them to do what I wanted anyway, so when they said "no," it actually meant "not right now, but if you bug me enough... then yes." Then when I grew up I had a hard time because the world didn't work the way I had been so used to. It was a huge shock to my system. I felt like I had walked into this foreign culture where all of societies rules were completely different than I had ever know before. I felt like everyone had a one-up on me because I felt that they knew things that I didn't. I felt like that because they had learned all this stuff when they were little and now they knew it backwards, forwards, top to bottom, and inside-out and knew it so well that they took it for granted. And then there was me who was struggling so hard to learn all this stuff that was so foreign and completely unknown to me and so second nature to them. I felt like they got something as kids that I never got and that I missed out on. I wish my parents had set boudaries for me as a kid instead of letting me get away with everything and giving me whatever I wanted. It would have made for a much easier and smoother transition into adulthood for me.

It saddened me to see that during the show neither the parents or spoiled children showed any emotion or accountability for themselves or their situation(s).  My perception is they don't know how to nurture and love themselves hence, their children without the benefit of money and material possessions. 

Parents, you are teaching your children that ''things" are more important than a life foundation built on morals, responsibility and social skills.  The the more you do for your children, they less they will, and eventually can do for themselves. Parents and Children lean to love yourseves and your parents, if you need something, learn, with the guidance of your parent(s) to provide it for yourself.  If you want something, think about it and make a goal of obtaining it.  You would be surprised how your choices may change.

I was fortunate to be the 5th in a family of 10 children, my parents divorced when I was 12.  I learned through some hardship and early family responsibility that love and family prevail over any material possession.   I am grateful to be who I am today.

It's not too late for you,  your children and grandchildren and future generations.  Stop the madness, get help now, learn how to communicate and love without the leverage of  money and material 'stuff' to show you love and care for each other.  

I , too, took a tag off the mall tree and saw what the kids wanted. I could not afford to give all my grandchildren those things so I certainly would not buy them for strangers. I put the tag back on the tree.

Last Christmas my group, and I, helped with the project. The toys were in bags with the tags attached. We were to group them by families so they could be delivered. Some people did buy Nintendoes and such games, ten-speed bicycles, I-pods, and other expensive toys. Some child, from the same family, close to the same age, did not get such expensive toys.

I think school uniforms is a good idea, also. I think we are a materialistic society and things have become more important than people or values.