<p>You know, I hear so many parents brag on and on about how “gifted” their kids are, whether they are or not. Then, when their child cannot excell at something, then the parents declare it “unimportant” or whatever else. I do not think all the trophies are causing this. I think parents who never, or rarely, make their children work for anything is a bigger part of the problem. I see many parents, usually with 1-2 children, who see their children just reflections of themselves. Then God forbid that child not be just handed everything. They give their children everything from cell phones to cars to everything. If anyone tells the children they cannot do this or that, then the parent jumps in and gets all angry. I cannot even believe the times where I hear someone say something like “I don’t like this friend my 10 yr old brought home” and everyone else jumps in and says “you can’t tell him what to do, it will just make him want it all the more!” If a parent feels like they cannot parent a 10 yr old, then the parent never should have become a parent in the first place. That may sound harsh, but I see too many parents not even trying, and that is the harsh reality.</p>
<p>I recently saw a show on what is happening to China’s children, since it is a society of mostly only children, some 2 child families. It talks about how kids are so spoiled there, and obesity is a huge problem because parents will give the kids whatever they want to eat and not make them get off the video games and so on. Well, this country, parts of it anyway, are a short step behind. I heard a dad in public talking about how his 7 yr old won’t get off the phone at night when he tells her to. He laughed and just said “but what can you do?” and thought it was funny. I turned to him and said “you can take the phone away.” The answer was so obvious. But it was clear that he thought it was cute and funny that his 7 yr old behaves like that, AND that he was a failure of a parent. It is not. </p>
<p>I know maybe I come off as strong. But honestly, a few trophies are not the cause of entitled children. Children think they are so great and so entitled without any effort because of parents who never make them work or try for anything. Parents who are of the “don’t tell my child no” group.</p>