Why are our kids so damn spoiled? I remember growing up and seeing kids in supermarkets or department stores throwing tantrums when they didn’t get something they wanted. I always said this will never happen to me when I have kids. You see those kids that have everything and have absolutely not appreciation for toys. They know that mom and dad will get them whatever toy they want sooner or later (most likely sooner). I being a naïve young woman myself always thought I will never raise my kids to be like this. They will know who the boss is. They will know to want a toy and wait for Christmas or their birthday to get it. Once they get that toy they will appreciate it and be truly happy that they finally got it. They will behave when I take them to the store. There will be no tantrum throwing at my house. I had planned to rule with an iron fist all the while being a gentle mom who my kids can one day say when mom and dad said no toys there were no toys and we were happy when we finally got a toy. Than I had kids and I realize now all that thinking was a bunch of bull crap. My kids are spoiled little brats.
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| I hate my kids when they do this to me at the store. Just one toy mom, just one, JUST OOONNNEEEE!!! |
How did they become like this? What happened to the iron fist? What happen to “they will know who’s in charge”? What the fuck happen? I don’t understand how we got to this point. I never wanted kids that I got. I always looked at those kids and blamed the parents. Surely they were at fault. Kids don’t become spoiled on their own…..do they? My thinking was we raised them right they would be nice, well mannered kids.
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| The one on the right would be mine, the one of the left is what I got |
My husband and I grew up not poor but not rich. We also grew up in Europe. I came to American when I was 10 and my husband when he was in his early twenties (I brought him here…a story for another post). We had a handful of toys throughout our childhood and we were HAPPY! I recall having a nice childhood. Playing with my friends with the few toys we had. We also played a lot outside which seems to be a foreign concept to kids these days. All they want it to stay inside and play video games or toys and maybe sometimes go to the park.
Take this weekend for instance. First let me take you back to about a week ago. The 7yr old asked me if he could have a new BeyBlade toy. I said we’ll see once he got his spelling test back. On Saturday we bought for both of the boys the new Skylander video game. Than on Saturday night the 7yr old says to me so can we go tomorrow and get the BeyBlade toy. I’m like WHAT!!! First he didn't even get his spelling test back AND I just spent over $100 on a video game that comes with all these figurines; I am not buying you another toy. So he gets mad at me like it’s my fault that I didn’t tell him that he wasn’t getting a BeyBlade toy and the Skylander video game. Fucking kids (that’s right I said just like we’ve all thought it before). Ugh they get me so frustrated!
After much debate (why do we need to debate!!!) it has been decided that he will get the BeyBlade for Christmas. This is complete bullshit. These kids have no appreciation for ANYTHING!!! All they know is I WANT, I WANT, I WANT.
Sometime during all this debating and negotiating I realized that it’s all our fault. No matter how much we didn’t want or didn’t intend we have raised spoiled little brats. Kids that I despised when I was younger have turned into my kids. Why and how did this happen to us? We’re good people with good values. We were raised the right way and yet here we are with kids that throw tantrums in stores when they don’t get what they want, that EXPECT new toys all the time even thought they don’t play with them and have absolutely no concept of really wanting a toy.
This is not how I wanted my kids to be. Kids like this grow up to be asshole adults who expect everything to be served to them on a gold platter. I want my kids to know that you have to fight for the good things in life. To appreciate the small things and damn it to respect the fact that not everyone has everything. I know at heart they are good kids. They do share all their toys with their friends. They help as much as they can at home and my 7yr old is an excellent student in school. I'm mostly scared that they will turn into rotten adults that we see everyday that we all hate. I don't want anyone to hate my kids they're my babies.
I know what has to be done….burn all their toys (just half kidding…haha). Seriously I know that it’s up to my husband and I to take responsibility for the brats that we have and it’s our job to right the wrong and make these kids into productive members of society. Stay tuned I’ll let you know how it works out.
Tell me are you kids spoiled or were they in the past? What did you do?
I really relate to this and TOTALLY UNDERSTAND the frustration. Our kids don't get everything but we give them more than my husband and i ever had, and i honestly think instead of them appreciating it they have come to expect it...I really can't stand how they don't take care of what they have! We don't have tons of money and that even with that, we have so far failed to make them understand it's a big freaking deal when you get special things and you freaking take care of them...it's so hard knowing what to do to fix it! Anyway...yup. i get it. (((HHugs)))
ReplyDeleteThanks! Good to know we're not the only parents that feel like this. No matter how many times we've told our kids that we're not rich that we work hard for what we have somehow all that got from that is "rich" and feel we somehow have an endless supply of money. Maybe its just the way this generation is. We keep trying to teach them good values and all we can hope for is that someone of the good things we're teaching them reaches the brain.
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