Is anyone afraid we are raising a generation of spoiled impolite kids

[Anonymous]

Honestly. I truly wonder this. Our generation was not raised the way we are raising our kids. We don't make our kids speak to people. Often parents themselves don't speak to people unless they know them.
I've seen so many instances where parents apologize on behalf of their kids and can't get their kids to say sorry. What are we doing here and why is everyone following this trend. Will our kids magically become polite, kind respectful kids when they turn 10 even if we don't require it in the early years? Or do parents change their approach once kids turn 8 or so? We are trying our best to raise respectful kids but it's so hard when so few seem to be trying or caring about that instilling those values early on. Maybe I need to read more of these books on this new parenting philosophy but what I see when out and about doesn't instill confidence that that approach is the right one. My parents drilled things into us, please, thank you, excuse me until it became second nature.

[Anonymous]

Just read the thread on the people calling the mother a monster because she spanked her willfully year old and you have your answer.

[Anonymous]

Well, I know I'm not.

[Anonymous]

Bill Maher calls it the "F*ck you Mom" generation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bill Maher calls it the "F*ck you Mom" generation

Bill Maher is right about literally everything and it is so scary because he is such a smug little bastard.

[Anonymous]

Not really. All of the kids I know are exceptionally polite.

[Anonymous]

There is no we. There is a you. Some of us actively parent our kids from birth to the adult years.

[Anonymous]

OP, do you live in the DC area?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bill Maher calls it the "F*ck you Mom" generation

I'm not a big fan of his, but I agree with him on this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly. I truly wonder this. Our generation was not raised the way we are raising our kids. We don't make our kids speak to people. Often parents themselves don't speak to people unless they know them.
I've seen so many instances where parents apologize on behalf of their kids and can't get their kids to say sorry. What are we doing here and why is everyone following this trend. Will our kids magically become polite, kind respectful kids when they turn 10 even if we don't require it in the early years? Or do parents change their approach once kids turn 8 or so? We are trying our best to raise respectful kids but it's so hard when so few seem to be trying or caring about that instilling those values early on. Maybe I need to read more of these books on this new parenting philosophy but what I see when out and about doesn't instill confidence that that approach is the right one. My parents drilled things into us, please, thank you, excuse me until it became second nature.

OK, with kids slightly older than I assume your's are, I can tell you exactly how your questions play out:

No, kids do not magically become polite and respectful when they are about 10, if you don't start requiring it years before that.

And yes, some parents do a panic, of sorts, when they realize at about age 8-10 that they have raised little monsters (the school tells them, other kids' parents don't want them around, coaches think they are a nightmare, etc.), but by then, it's usually too late UNLESS the parents do an abrupt 180 and crack down harder than ever. I have seen this in a very few circumstances, and yes it does work then. But by far the majority see no correlation to the lax discipline they have instilled all along, and the outcome they get when kids become older. So, they sink further into denial and continue along the same path, with no sense of responsibility for the now entitled teenagers that they are dealing with, and their own shortcomings as parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, do you live in the DC area?

Yes. Is it different elsewhere?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just read the thread on the people calling the mother a monster because she spanked her willfully year old and you have your answer.

+1 ITA Some pretty permissive and wishy washy parents out there.

[Anonymous]

Nope , I made sure not to do that. It was hard work but worth it.

[Anonymous]

My kid is polite unless he's hungry or tired. He's 4.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bill Maher calls it the "F*ck you Mom" generation

Well, that might be, but it doesn’t mean they aren’t polite outside of the house. Otherwise you’d have to talk to your parents after all.