<p>I agree with some of this stuff - (some) Americans are spoiled. I come from an awesome home & family and I love my parents very much. We rarely argue & I tell them how much I appreciate them. They have been scrict, but not overly-strict. They have given me freedom, but not too much freedom. They may be a bit protective at some times, but we need to learn to just deal with it because it’s just because they LOVE us beyond measure.</p>
<p>I think this mentality stems from the environment in which most middle class suburban American teens grow up in. From birth our needs are provided for, and then some. Maybe my parents didn’t buy me a car, but I can drive theirs whenever I want. Although my parents didn’t believe in giving me an allowance (cleaning my room was a requirement for living in their house, not something I should get paid for), I have many friends whose parents handed them a $10 bill every week, which seems like a fortune when you are 11 years old. It isn’t too difficult to get what we want.</p>
<p>I guess you might call it a sense of entitlement (I hesitate to use the word ‘spoiled’). Generally, when we want something, we get it. Then when our parents say “no” it is foreign to us. In our minds it doesn’t seem fair that they should refuse us, and add that to the normal teenage moodiness and angst, you get the “my parents suck” mentality.</p>
<p>I have friends who ignore curfew and then when their moms call at 3am to find out where they are, they reply rudely and hang up the phone. Usually they’ll roll their eyes and say something along the lines of “My mom is such a b*tch.” I hate having a curfew but my personal belief is that as long as you are living in your parents house you should go by their rules, and don’t act wounded and indignant when your parents enforce said rules.</p>
<p>OP, out of curiousity, where do you live?</p>
<p>american kids hate their parents?? what an awful thought! i just spent a day with my kids (18, 16 girls, 11 boy) and we swam in the ocean, played tennis, went to a baseball game, drove around, had lunch together, swam again, talked about college, enjoyed a thunder storm…talked on the phone, had friends over…no hate here, grab the moment…and savor it…</p>
<p>i have more spoiled friends my age, trust me…never satisfied…</p>
<p>
Exactly my point.
But there’s another problem. American kids need to learn to simply respect their parents. They need to follow the rules and do what they are asked to not because they live at home or because the parents pay for their stuff, but because parents are parents, no matter how “stupid”, “lame”, “not cool”, or “not understanding” they are.</p>
<p>I don’t hate my parents. I respect them, though I might not agree all the time. That’s when I reason things out. Like having a little conversation with coffee/tea while speaking British accents instead of nuking each other with nuclear bombs.
Mmm I think it depends on how the children were raised. Maybe it’s the parents’ faults, then. Or maybe it’s just today’s culture.</p>
<p>It probably has to do with overloaded schedules of both the parents and the child, as well as lack of communication.</p>
<p>See I’ve never thought the “because I said so!” reason parents state was a good reason for anything at all. I realize sometimes they say that because they don’t want to bother to explain the actual reason why, but when you say it enough and you ever satisfactorily explain ‘why’ it just becomes bad. Maybe I’m too logical a person, but I like to know the reasons behind things that I have to do. My parents thought this was unnecessary.</p>
<p>Example: My parents are religious Christians, of the “you must go to church every single week or you will die and burn in hell!” variety. And every week that they went, they made me go with them. Now, I’m not Christian and I haven’t been since I decided I didn’t believe in God at the age of 12 or so. I tried to reason with them dozens if not hundreds of times that hey, if I don’t believe the religion why on earth should I attend all the religious services? I presented my case rationally, I tried to get an answer to this “why” question, but all I was ever told was “because I’m your mother and I SAID SO!” That’s not an answer, IMO. </p>
<p>All you people that say you should listen to everything your parents say just because they’re your parents, do you think this sort of thing is ok? Do you think it’s ok for parents to order their children around with no apparent rhyme or reason just because they’re their parents?</p>
<p>Exactly, dima. Our parents love us and what they are doing is meant to protect us. I know I’m going to regret a number of things when I am the parent of a teenager and my kid is out til all hours of the night doing who knows what. Our parents were teenagers once, and believe it or not, they probably weren’t perfect angels. When my dad was my age (17), he and his friends used to go out and get beer and drink it in the parking lot. I could be doing that, or be out partying with strangers, and he knows that. Hence the curfew and having to check in with them when I get home.</p>
<p>One of the problems with parents trying to enforce rules, IMO, is society butting into everything. When I was younger and I was really bad, I got smacked. It was rare, but I wasn’t eager to get hit. (And now for the disclaimer: I got spanked. It was not damaging to me in any way other than a sore bottom for an hour. No need to call child services.) A parent can’t give their child a spanking or withold dessert without the possibility of being reported for abuse.</p>
<p>my parents are gr8 compared to sum parents i know i know girls who r hurting themselves(mentally and physically) b/c of how they r treated one of which i hate this grl…and she has to figure the problems out herselves i mentioned it to my parents but im like its her problem they wolnt listen she covers up for her parents when people call Child support services…while my new friend…My counselors know somethings going on i was at the table in front of them(super sonic hearing i have) When she pointed out something on the arm saying: How long has this been happening? I Think shes been cutting herself her mothers and hers relationship is ****ty and her mothers bf is supposably horrible…SHEESH and i thought me and my parents dont get a long!</p>
<p>Respect is earned.</p>
<p>And I would hate to be your kid.</p>
<p>Some parents are just REALLY bad at parenting…</p>
<p>My ex-friend and her parents had a troubled relationship - to the point where she wanted to leave school, home and run away.</p>
<p>So what was the resolution they thought of?
Her parents paid her $100 to go to school per day. After a week, she had $500 to spend mainly on drugs and save up to leave home…</p>
<p>That’s BAD parenting…</p>
<p>I don’t think we need to beat our kids, just say no. Parents don’t say “no” to their kids enough. Like, I was at the store and this little girl said “I want this cereal!!! BLAH BLAH” and the mother gave in because she was tired of hearing her daughter whine. My mom just said no. Every once in a while, she gave in when she saw no harm, but she could put her foot down (I get this stubborness from her now). And, if I did something wrong? She’d take something away. But, i eventually got over it (that ADHD made me change from one thing to another really fast).</p>
<p>Also, one person one here said parents should use logical explanations with their children. She did that, too, and scared the hell out of me sometimes.</p>
<p>“Wear your helmet.”
“Why?”
“Because you might fall down a hill or something, and if you don’t have that helmet on, you’re little head is going to hit that concrete and burst into tiny little pieces.”</p>
<p>Yep, those were the days…</p>
<p>Oh yes those logical explainations work…</p>
<p>“Go to sleep”
“Why?”
“Because if you dont, a monster with a big bat will come and beat you up and kidnap you and then kill you”</p>
<p>I wouldnt say that’s exactly ‘logical’, but it did work!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Nicely said.</p>