Annoying Parents and their kids (off topic)

This is off topic, but it's something which is bugging the heck out of me.

Here's the short list:

Three kids on my son's b-ball team were given iPads for Christmas.

Many of the same age children already have cellular phones.

The neighbor's ten year old is on his third cell phone. His twelve year old brother insisted that he needed an iPhone for Christmas this time.

Many of the parents I spoke with this Christmas were complaining that they could not figure out what to get their children as "they already had everything".  They were not lying as their homes resemble electronic superstores with all the flat screen, XBox, Wii, DS systems they have.

A dad called me and wants to take his son to a professional sports game and was rounding up other dads to do the same thing. His reason? "I promised him." The cost? About $100.00 - 150.00 per person base not including food, snacks, drinks, souvenirs, etc.

Another father wants to "reward" his son for attending all of his b-ball games this season by hosting a party at some indoor activity center. For attending the games.


We are talking about 9 year olds here.

I have no envy whatsoever for how much another family has in material possessions and spending money. The more money you have clearly means you are more successful at what you do and that's great, I am very happy for you.

And I could care less how you raise your kid, but don't try to drag me down your merry dysfunctional path.

Don't call me to validate your spoiling and over indulging by asking me to do the same for my kid. That dog don't hunt here.

And don't tell your kid to needle my kid into convincing me that he needs to have what Jr. has in order to be "cool". It won't work on me and only serves to make my kid feel bad (until I give him the talk about what a brat your kid is and learns to question your weak parenting).

Too many parents I know seem to think their children are little adults with whom everything is a negotiation. And with each negotiation, the kids expects a bigger and better deal the next time.

Further, too many parents act more like grandparents. They load the kids down with every possible treat and toy as if it were a perk of being a parent. (My personal theory on this is that too many adults wait until they are nearly grandparent age before they decide to marry and have kids, but that's another thing).

The end result are kids completely numb to anything special and expecting the whole world owes them something.

Let me clear about something. I love my kids. They have a comfortable life and have most of what they need at any given moment. They had a nice Christmas (it was tight, but we did the best we could) this year and were very happy. But they also understand that we aren't in the best financial shape we could be in and they need to be part of the solution and not the problem.

I also understand how it is being a kid and feeling stupid when it seems everyone else has the latest and greatest this or that. However, I love my kids enough to explain why they can't have this or that and it is because I do love them enough to say "No" to each demand and request.

But to all the spoiling, weak willed, enabling parents out there please, leave me and mine alone.  And learn how to say no.

That's it. We now resume our normally scheduled programming.