Are kids spoilt?

Long time since we've had a debate on here. So here comes one. Play nicely :D

Do you think that kids are spoilt now a days?

Please dont take any comments to heart. I want everyone to feel free to express their opinion, without worrying about offending other people. After all, we cant all agree, can we? ;)

I think that they are. I help in a youth group once a week, with 7-11 year olds, and they all have more than one mobile phone, iPods, DVD players, TVs, even their own laptops. Whatever happened to waiting for those things? I see no use of a child to have their own phone. I think parents should keep an old one, and if their kids do go out, then only give it to them then, for safety reasons. For a child to have a phone 24/7 when they are 7 years old or younger is unnessessery, i think. I think families should have a family computer when they are young, too. You can monitor what they do then. Of course, some people can afford to buy software which allow you to block certain websites, and monitor that way. But if you cant, then if you use the same computer as them, you can check their history and what not. If they have a laptop, it would be very hard to monitor what they do on a daily basis.

So many kids can eat sweets and stuff like that whenever they like. Much better for kids to at least wait untill after dinner, i think.

As i said, dont be offended anyone. If you are a parent, its your choice how you bring your kids up. The rest of us may disagree, but you should bring up your kids how you see best, and not anyone else :)

I totally agree... most kids are spoilt.. My kids are not and I am the one who feels bad when my 6 year old daughter tells me all her friends have DS (also age 6) and some are getting mobile phones... I thought I was spoiling her by getting her an MP3 (not an ipod, just a cheap yoke) for her 6th bday.

I think she is far to young to be getting such expensive presents but apparently a lot of her friends have them since they were 5 years old.. We were lucky as kids to get on present at christmas and now kids have a list as long as your arms...

I don't see how kids can grow up to appreciste the value of money if they are getting DS and Mobile Phones for their 6th 7th birthdays. At least wait till seconday school.
I think children are being spoilt more but only because changes in technology are allowing them to be.

I dont think all kids are spoilt I think its how the parents do it (does that make sense) because we have only ever got things like gameboys, DS's Wii's, Laptops etc..... at xmas or b/day they arent ever bought in between so at xmas I might get a phone and Ipod, or last year it was a Wii and Flat screen tv but then throughout the year we get stuff spent on us when ever we want it but not stuff like that, mum might buy dvd's or wii games throoughout or shell give us money for clothes and stuff but would never buy something like i said above unless it was xmas or b/day (man thats one long sentence, does that make sense).
The only really thing that is a constant expense throughout the year is my animals lol, other than that I dont expect stuff throughout the year.

Whereas someone I know their children will ask for new phones every time a new one comes out, or as soon as a new ipod coes out they will want it, and stuff and the parents give it to them, I think that is spoilt as they dont even treat their parents with respect, they treat them like dirt.

But though I can see why some kids get them at a yong age is because they have older siblings, as my litle cousin who is 9 has a sister who is 15 nearly 16 and loves having stuff the same as her, so she has a DS and all the games and stuff, but she dont have a phone yet as the others had to wait till they were older so they cant treat one differently, but she carries an old one round with her to make her feel the same, (which I think is sweet lol)

I agree, I mean I myself have an mobile phone, Tv and freeview in room and ipod but the shuffle, it was cheaper lol, But I havent had them all at once its been spread out through the years because I cant be spoilt, and dont want to be and the obviously theres the issue of money

This is a new generation of kids who are accustomed to the 'now' mantra. Internet, email, SMS, next day delivery, programmes on demand - everything is delivered almost instantly and, more importantly, cheaper than before. Parents can afford to give their kids what would be considered expensive a decade ago. The whole culture has changed.

I think kids are spoilt nowadays, i remember if i wanted something big i had to wait until xmas or my birthday i could never just have it

Connor gets bought a lot, small things like a car or some drawing stuff, he never asks for anything big. He has a CD player that he got when he was 3 mainly becuase mum was getting rid of one and because he loved to listen to his kids cds when he was playing and i didnt want them being played round me all day!

He is 5 and this year he has asked 'santa' for a ds lite and yes ive got it ready and waiting for him but why not, he gets stuff throughout the year but nothing big like this, i tell him big pressies have to be waited for just like i did when i was younger and when he finallys something he really appreiciates it

i have a friend who buys her son everything he wants and hes a vile child at times!!!!!

My parents never even brought me small things during the year. I got whatever i wanted (Up to a certain value) at Xmas and on my birthday. Apart from important things etc, they wouldn't buy me any other presents or toys. Even now, i get given the odd coat or trousers, school things are paid for, and everything important is paid for, but any "extras" i buy myself.

And to be honest, i wouldnt have it any other way.

Kids might not get huge presents, but i think lots of small things are just as bad. Even if its a new PC game or something, its still something for nothing. And, in my opinion, i think thats spoiling them. Give them some pocket money every week, and let them save for what they want.

kids grow, get bored of what they got so rather than have connor doing nothing i replace his toys! Dont agree with not giving children anything all year, a 99p car, a £5 game every now and then dosent hurt at all.

He gets money from my nan, my mum and dad and daves mum and dad, if he really wants something big he does save his money for it

i always said before i became a mum that i wouldnt buy things for my children all the time, wouldnt spoil them but when connor came along you cant help buying things he likes

I dont see the harm in buying children little things throughout the year, as it gives them an incentive to be good, as my cousin used to get a book/magazine/little game every week if she behaved (not that she used to lol) but sometimes it di make her behave.
Others also do it where if they are good while out shopping they can choose something and thats not being spoilt its telling them that if the are good they get something in return for it.