Progress or just spoiled kids?

You’ve probably seen the headlines lately about parents complaining because their kids have to sit in classrooms hitting 90 degrees without any AC.

WTF???

I won't even get started on what it was like for me back in the early '90s—walking into crumbling schools with basically nothing. We all know how rough our school conditions used to be.

The real question is: Have we gone overboard with coddling kids? Do they have too much freedom and way too little responsibility? Or am I just starting to sound like my own parents with the whole "back in my day" routine?

More importantly, does this kind of "pampering" have anything to do with the rise in drug use, promiscuity, or even school shootings?

And why is there so little supervision these days? I’m not advocating for physical or psychological abuse, or locking kids in their rooms—I’m just wondering if, as a society, we haven't let things slide a bit too far.

feralhound55 said:You’ve probably seen the headlines lately about parents complaining because their kids have to sit in classrooms hitting 90 degrees without any AC.

WTF???

I won't even get started on what it was like for me back in the early '90s—walking into crumbling schools with basically nothing. We all know how rough our school conditions used to be.

The real question is: Have we gone overboard with coddling kids? Do they have too much freedom and way too little responsibility? Or am I just starting to sound like my own parents with the whole "back in my day" routine?

More importantly, does this kind of "pampering" have anything to do with the rise in drug use, promiscuity, or even school shootings?

And why is there so little supervision these days? I’m not advocating for physical or psychological abuse, or locking kids in their rooms—I’m just wondering if, as a society, we haven't let things slide a bit too far.

I'm right there with you. The core of the issue is that times are changing; kids are more advanced now, and a seven-year-old often looks and acts like they're thirteen. These days, kids aren't satisfied with anything; if they don't have an Xbox or a PlayStation 2 or some other nonsense, they act like the world is ending.
They're under less supervision because parents are working themselves to death; life moves at such a breakneck pace today that there's just no time for anything else. 😢

Spoiled? Absolutely. Honestly, they might as well just have summer break from June through December; though by December, we’ll probably be dealing with snowstorms, so they can just freeze on their way to school. Seriously, what kind of nonsense is this? It’s getting ridiculous. Kids these days are living in bubble wrap. In fact, I don't think parents even know how to raise a child anymore because they're constantly being bombarded with all this advice from child psychologists. You can't even raise your voice at a kid without it being instantly labeled as psychological abuse.

Honestly, it’s such a joke. In places like Germany or the Netherlands—you know, actually functional countries—the government sets the total number of required school weeks and the national holidays, and then each region just decides how to split up their own summer, winter, or spring breaks.

I mean, does it even make sense for kids in a coastal town like Miami or somewhere down in Key West to get three whole weeks of winter break? Like, 99% of them aren't heading off to go skiing or sledding or ice skating. At most, they’ll be out walking through a storm or hanging out at a local convenience store. It would make way more sense to let each county set its own schedule, as long as the total number of instructional hours per semester stays the same everywhere.

copperrider20 said:Honestly, it’s such a joke. In places like Germany or the Netherlands—you know, actually functional countries—the government sets the total number of required school weeks and the national holidays, and then each region just decides how to split up their own summer, winter, or spring breaks.

I mean, does it even make sense for kids in a coastal town like Miami or somewhere down in Key West to get three whole weeks of winter break? Like, 99% of them aren't heading off to go skiing or sledding or ice skating. At most, they’ll be out walking through a storm or hanging out at a local convenience store. It would make way more sense to let each county set its own schedule, as long as the total number of instructional hours per semester stays the same everywhere.

Brilliant idea. I’m sure our government will get around to considering it right around the turn of the next century... unfortunately. But hey, it's vital that those three weeks of winter break are mandated since the average American family with kids in school goes skiing every single year. I'm not sure how that works, given that the cost of living is already 30% higher than the average paycheck.

feralhound55 said:Brilliant idea. I’m sure our government will get around to considering it right around the turn of the next century... unfortunately. But hey, it's vital that those three weeks of winter break are mandated since the average American family with kids in school goes skiing every single year. I'm not sure how that works, given that the cost of living is already 30% higher than the average paycheck.

Exactly. It’s not even about whether there are 35 or 40 weeks of school—it’s just a total waste to have kids stuck in a classroom on September 1st when they could be dying of boredom on some island by October 10th. (Chicago is basically the only city that offers free summer language courses, winter skating clinics, and whatever else you can think of.)

Up in Northern Europe, there are entire regions and countries where school doesn't even start until August 15th.
But hey, we're in the States—we've got the coast and the sunshine. Why kill off all that free fun for half the country?

feralhound55 said:You’ve probably seen the headlines lately about parents complaining because their kids have to sit in classrooms hitting 90 degrees without any AC.

WTF???

I won't even get started on what it was like for me back in the early '90s—walking into crumbling schools with basically nothing. We all know how rough our school conditions used to be.

The real question is: Have we gone overboard with coddling kids? Do they have too much freedom and way too little responsibility? Or am I just starting to sound like my own parents with the whole "back in my day" routine?

More importantly, does this kind of "pampering" have anything to do with the rise in drug use, promiscuity, or even school shootings?

And why is there so little supervision these days? I’m not advocating for physical or psychological abuse, or locking kids in their rooms—I’m just wondering if, as a society, we haven't let things slide a bit too far.

Every single generation has its own version of the "PlayStation 2"—that one thing they think is absolutely essential for survival.
My mom always reminds me: "I bought you a laptop when you were thirteen, was it really such a huge crisis?" As if I didn't fight tooth and nail for my record player back in the day!!!!

Every adult has their own "back in my day, we didn't have that" story.
I look at my cousin—she's 14 and already obsessing over getting a scooter (which she'll definitely get at 16 since they're already paying for her driver's permit)... meanwhile, I was completely blindsided when my mom surprised me with driving lessons for my 18th birthday.

That's just how it goes...

It probably comes down to the fact that forcing kids into nine months of non-stop schooling just doesn't make sense, especially since they really need a break from all that studying
I honestly think two and a half months off is more than enough time for them to go out and have some fun
Then there's the whole issue of parents struggling to figure out how to keep their kids occupied

essentially, it's because kids haven't really learned how to entertain themselves

Jonathan Hernandez4 said:It probably comes down to the fact that forcing kids into nine months of non-stop schooling just doesn't make sense, especially since they really need a break from all that studying
I honestly think two and a half months off is more than enough time for them to go out and have some fun
Then there's the whole issue of parents struggling to figure out how to keep their kids occupied

essentially, it's because kids haven't really learned how to entertain themselves

Oh, come on now, how on earth are you supposed to teach children how to entertain themselves? 🤷 I mean, your own parents probably didn't sit you down and give you a manual on how to play, so I assume you just figured it out on your own!

I wasn't even trying to lecture anyone on how they should have fun or play
rather, I was just suggesting we let kids actually have some downtime. If we let them be bored for a bit, they might actually look around and find something productive to do. We can toss out a few ideas if they're stuck, but that’s really where it ends

Chain reaction☕ Kids aren't the ones at fault here. It’s on the parents and how they raised them back in the day. Back in the 60s and 70s, getting a smack in school was just part of life... but things started shifting as our social morals and individual freedoms evolved, and those boundaries in parenting shifted right along with them. Now we're seeing birth rates crater from an average of four or five kids down to just two...
You can't really blame children when they're just following the lead their parents set. It's like how people pay off one credit card only to immediately max out another. It makes total sense that a kid is going to start asking for a new PlayStation the second they see an opportunity...

I was looking at how many high school protests have popped up over the last year. I actually showed up to one myself, and honestly, it was justified and well-aimed. But now I'm watching the news and seeing more protests because students don't want the school year to start on Labor Day. Like, wtf??

All this progress has basically led us to a massive surge in "that kind" of kid 😉

copperrider20 said:Exactly. It’s not even about whether there are 35 or 40 weeks of school—it’s just a total waste to have kids stuck in a classroom on September 1st when they could be dying of boredom on some island by October 10th. (Chicago is basically the only city that offers free summer language courses, winter skating clinics, and whatever else you can think of.)

Up in Northern Europe, there are entire regions and countries where school doesn't even start until August 15th.
But hey, we're in the States—we've got the coast and the sunshine. Why kill off all that free fun for half the country?

Yeah, true. That reminds me, people in Miami were the first ones out protesting when they tried to reorganize the school calendar like that a few years back...

feralhound55 said:You’ve probably seen the headlines lately about parents complaining because their kids have to sit in classrooms hitting 90 degrees without any AC.

WTF???

I won't even get started on what it was like for me back in the early '90s—walking into crumbling schools with basically nothing. We all know how rough our school conditions used to be.

The real question is: Have we gone overboard with coddling kids? Do they have too much freedom and way too little responsibility? Or am I just starting to sound like my own parents with the whole "back in my day" routine?

More importantly, does this kind of "pampering" have anything to do with the rise in drug use, promiscuity, or even school shootings?

And why is there so little supervision these days? I’m not advocating for physical or psychological abuse, or locking kids in their rooms—I’m just wondering if, as a society, we haven't let things slide a bit too far.

So, you’ve officially become your parents. It happens to the best of us... we all end up complaining about how spoiled kids are today like we weren't the exact same way back then. 🙄😁
If you’re actually sane and level-headed, you'll set some real boundaries, and everything will turn out fine... I'm just sick of people blaming the schools, the Secretary of Education, society at large, TV, or even big banks for how kids turn out... at the end of the day, it's on the parents.
The sad truth is most people—including parents—are just idiots 🙂.
Honestly, the only real difference between parents now and parents back then is that nowadays there are more ways to fail and way more stuff to buy at Target.

What even is "spoiling" anyway? It’s just this tired cliché people slap onto parents these days. Like, what are we actually doing regarding our own responsibilities? Are we even carving out 60 minutes a day to focus solely on our kids—on whatever they want to do? Kids are a direct reflection of us. That whole term "spoiled" implies that giving kids affection or attention is somehow a bad thing, which is total nonsense. It’s actually the opposite—if we weren't taught properly by our own parents, we fail at our duties (which means giving them focused, undivided attention) because we’re too busy looking out for ourselves instead of thinking about others. Joanna, would you enjoy sitting on a packed Greyhound bus in 90-degree heat without AC after working an eight-hour shift just to make ends meet? Or how about driving 45 miles home in a sweltering car with no air conditioning, knowing you still have to deal with cooking, cleaning, and laundry once you walk through the door? How much actual freedom do kids really have to express themselves? We teach them at the local park that it's "rude" to tell another kid, "HEY, THAT'S MY TOY," and force them to share—literally ripping toys out of their hands—yet most adults aren't even willing to share their own stuff, whether it's money, cars, or books...

Boundaries? Yeah, sure, you need them. But you can only set boundaries if you actually understand your own limits and respect everyone else's. That requires a massive amount of self-respect, which, let's be honest, is pretty hard to find in the world today. Well-adjusted, well-raised kids only come from parents with solid character.

Responsibility? Is the right way to teach a kid responsibility really just through bribery and threats? You know, the whole "If you don't clean this up, then [insert consequence here]" routine. Or do we force them to clean while simultaneously calling them a mess (pure criticism), or do we actually praise them and ask for their help? Stuff like that...

I honestly feel like we’re spending way too little actual time with kids, trying to compensate for a lack of presence by just throwing gadgets and toys at them instead.
It’s like they aren't getting any real guidance or upbringing whatsoever.
😲Our generation completely dropped the ball on this one.
There's zero accountability... kids these days are just spoiled and entitled.
They basically have everything handed to them on a silver platter.

In my opinion, this total vacuum of authority and responsibility is just a fast track to pure chaos!

Dana Miller2 said:So, you’ve officially become your parents. It happens to the best of us... we all end up complaining about how spoiled kids are today like we weren't the exact same way back then. 🙄😁
If you’re actually sane and level-headed, you'll set some real boundaries, and everything will turn out fine... I'm just sick of people blaming the schools, the Secretary of Education, society at large, TV, or even big banks for how kids turn out... at the end of the day, it's on the parents.
The sad truth is most people—including parents—are just idiots 🙂.
Honestly, the only real difference between parents now and parents back then is that nowadays there are more ways to fail and way more stuff to buy at Target.

That's what I was thinking... it wasn't the Secretary who messed up in this instance, it was the parents. They just love passing the buck because admitting you screwed up is pretty pathetic...

feralhound55 said:That's what I was thinking... it wasn't the Secretary who messed up in this instance, it was the parents. They just love passing the buck because admitting you screwed up is pretty pathetic...

The Secretary of Education doesn't have anything to do with this decision. Just because you grew up attending some half-finished schoolhouse doesn't mean today's kids shouldn't be provided with much better facilities. Honestly, even ten years ago, hospitals weren't equipped with central air conditioning, but they are now. In this specific instance, we are simply looking at a shift in climate conditions that necessitates an adaptation, and that is really all there is to it. I am being completely concrete about this. I'm telling you, it’s just one of those things. 🙂

Hannah White2 said:What even is "spoiling" anyway? It’s just this tired cliché people slap onto parents these days. Like, what are we actually doing regarding our own responsibilities? Are we even carving out 60 minutes a day to focus solely on our kids—on whatever they want to do? Kids are a direct reflection of us. That whole term "spoiled" implies that giving kids affection or attention is somehow a bad thing, which is total nonsense. It’s actually the opposite—if we weren't taught properly by our own parents, we fail at our duties (which means giving them focused, undivided attention) because we’re too busy looking out for ourselves instead of thinking about others. Joanna, would you enjoy sitting on a packed Greyhound bus in 90-degree heat without AC after working an eight-hour shift just to make ends meet? Or how about driving 45 miles home in a sweltering car with no air conditioning, knowing you still have to deal with cooking, cleaning, and laundry once you walk through the door? How much actual freedom do kids really have to express themselves? We teach them at the local park that it's "rude" to tell another kid, "HEY, THAT'S MY TOY," and force them to share—literally ripping toys out of their hands—yet most adults aren't even willing to share their own stuff, whether it's money, cars, or books...

Boundaries? Yeah, sure, you need them. But you can only set boundaries if you actually understand your own limits and respect everyone else's. That requires a massive amount of self-respect, which, let's be honest, is pretty hard to find in the world today. Well-adjusted, well-raised kids only come from parents with solid character.

Responsibility? Is the right way to teach a kid responsibility really just through bribery and threats? You know, the whole "If you don't clean this up, then [insert consequence here]" routine. Or do we force them to clean while simultaneously calling them a mess (pure criticism), or do we actually praise them and ask for their help? Stuff like that...

I’d say being spoiled is basically an upbringing that fails to instill responsibility, leaving kids clueless about how to actually function in the real world. They get everything they want as kids, so when they hit the "adult world" and someone finally tells them "no"—or they realize things don't just fall into their lap—they turn into unstable, manipulative, aggressive, or even criminal types. That’s the kind of spoiling I'm talking about.

How do we handle our own responsibilities? Are we dedicating at least an hour a day solely to our kids based on what they need? Kids are a reflection of us. The whole term "spoiled" implies that showing affection is somehow bad, which is the exact opposite. If we weren't taught properly by our own parents, we end up neglecting our duties—like giving focused attention—just to cater to ourselves instead of thinking about others.

Showing love involves affection, which is different from the stuff I mentioned above. And honestly, it's essential for healthy development.

Joanna, do you actually enjoy sitting on a packed bus without AC after working eight hours just to survive, or driving 45 minutes in a sweltering car only to come home to more heat—cooking, cleaning, laundry?

No. I don't travel that much, and I actually avoid using AC for health reasons. Regardless, that’s not why I started this thread.

Responsibility? Is using threats and blackmail really the right way to teach a child responsibility? Like, telling them "if you don't clean this up, X will happen." Or do we force them to clean while calling them messy (criticism), versus praising them and asking for help? Etc...

You're bringing up threats and blackmail... personally, I don't think sitting in a classroom for a few hours without air conditioning counts as either.

Yeah, we’re all spoiled...
I love it when the older generation goes, "We didn't have computers back then, so why should you need them now?"
Look, if it's hot out, it's hot. If we have the option to fix it, why wouldn't we?
And it's not like the world is ending just because someone doesn't own an Xbox or a PlayStation
Half my friends don't even have a console, and they're doing just fine...
It's not about being bratty, it's about keeping up with what's actually happening.
My neighbor upstairs literally bought a PlayStation 3 when it was super expensive just so he could say he had one and stay on trend...
I actually suggested to my classmates at school that if everyone chipped in $17 (we share classrooms, so like 60 kids total), it would be $1000 and we could just buy ourselves some AC...
The main issue is just that our parents grew up without half the stuff we take for granted today...

It’s not a bad idea, honestly.