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My opinion in short is that kids are just way too spoiled these days

No there not & its the choice of the parents isnt it? When (if ) you have children then YOU can decide whats right for them

ok.

My mistake Dave.... You are very classy, I like it. I have a mental pic of you cleaning out your tanks in your shirt sleeves with a waistcoat (3 piece all the way) and the suit jacket over the back of a chair. Spats optional.



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~~~ My fish blow kisses at me all day long ~~~

I wasn't joking.

I'd wear a suit every day if I could.

How the hell can you have a multi purpose suit?... Dave

DJT I love that you explained Dave is having a bit of fun, laconic Aussie humour. This is a cultural difference. Not many teens own suits in Australia and even many adult males wouldn't have a suit if their job doesn't require them to wear one. It is a lot more casual here.

I think the celebrations for littlies that emulate the older kids are a bit over the top. Makes 'em grow up too soon. My cousin was in 6th class and their end of year celebration was a dance in the school hall, no problem.

However, the parents <read mums> put in the money so some of them could ride there in a limosine. I think it was to emulate some big sisters who had limo rides to yr 10 or 12 formals (prom). I think it makes it less special then once they do get to that stage.


But that is the way of the world isn't it. When I was little there was no shopping malls only shops on street frontage. These days the mall is the place to do grocery shopping etc probably weekly so the McDonalds I used to have a few times a year is accessible as a weekly treat for kids. The way it goes...


When I was at school we had a celebration in year 10 and in year 12. I am in Australia and high school goes from grade 7 to 12 (with an option to leave in year 10 to go into the workforce or do a trade, used to be a majority leave in yr 10 unless they were 'academic' now a majority go to yr 12.)

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~~~ My fish blow kisses at me all day long ~~~

We had a dance thing, but no, tuxes weren't allowed, just shirt and tie. I got a computer too, but it was a combined birthday/early Christmas present that they passed off as graduation just because I got it at that time.

Last edited by Firenze at 20-Jun-2005 20:57

i graduated last year.

nothing real special, for most of the kids, maybe a few had real big parties.

went to school. they talked, handed out awards, went home.

No, I never got 'all children are spoiled' out of the responses. I do think though that many kids these days are more spoiled than in the past. Both parents working, and working longer hours...I often think parents 'spoil'-or whatever term you'd like to use-out of guilt.

Spouse's son is the oldest of four, so obviously this is going to be a problem in the future. My children attend school in a large district...they have K-5, 6-7, 8-9, and high school is 10-12. Should my five children each have four graduations? Don't think so

As to

look around at all the adults driving around in corvettes and ask yourself if they are too

, the other question to ask is 'who paid for that corvette?'

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There is water at the bottom of the ocean

That's crazy!

When I graduated from 8th grade (and yes, we did have a graduation) I wore a casual dress. I think I might have gone out for ice cream with my grandma, a slim chance it was dinner. Definitely no gifts.

And that wasn't *that* long ago, I'm only 23!

djtj,

I am sorry that I, or anyone else on this thread, might have offended you. I reviewed the
entries that talk about “spoiled” but not one of them says that all kids are spoiled (which
is what your entry implies). In particular the previously used quote from Bablefish

My
opinion in short is that kids are just way too spoiled these days

is greatly misused as I am sure that the “in short” part of it means
“without having to write a book about it here”.

I am rather convinced that every adult here knows that there are quite a few younger people
here that have to work rather hard to achieve their goals. Nevertheless, old people like us
tend to compare the quality of live these days with our own when we were younger. And,
again without writing a book about it, it appears that today’s teenagers have way more
luxury goods ect. available to them then previous generations.

Wouldn’t you agree?

Again, sorry if you have been offended,

Ingo

Last edited by Little_Fish at 20-Jun-2005 12:16

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

As for the "kids are spoiled" thing, I believe that is stereotyping in the worst way. Anyone who read my essay (which the civic department in my neighborhood didn't seem to) on "children's rights" as I like to call it, knows that this is a sore topic of mine. If I came on here and said that all old people are dumb, or all _____ people are drunks, or all _____ people are criminals, many people here would be offended. The same goes for me. And before you say that all children are spoiled, look around at all the adults driving around in corvettes and ask yourself if they are too.

Hmmm...as to how spoiled kids are nowadays, a lot are more spoiled. As for dude saying that it's the parents' choice..."But Tommy's mom got him (insert random overpriced unneccessary here)"...

I didn't have an 8th grade graduation, I got a scary introduction speech into 9th grade by a Dean of Academics...

For HS Graduation, I got small gifts from relatives that knew me, $1,000 in a savings account (that I'm not allowed to touch...long story), and a grille guard for my truck...

For college graduation, I believe my dad has promised to get me a new car, but I don't put too much stock into his promises...

PM/email/msg me if you have any questions/comments regarding me or my knowledge or if you want me to read a thread.

8th Grade?

My kids just [font color="#000080"]graduated[/font] from Pre-Kindergarten, with cake, fruit punch, singing, and all that stuff.

For me, that is way over the top. But it sets the tone for future graduations and naturally the expectations of the children get higher and higher.
I grew up in Germany and the one and only graduation we had was from high school, in the school’s gym, with the head teacher holding a speech and us getting a certificate, that’s it. No presents, no party, just glad it was over.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

My opinion in short is that kids are just way too spoiled these days

lol, well im nearly 17, been working since i was 11. Been using my own money since then aswell. So not all kids are spoiled i reckon. P.s that 6 years of work just went into buying my first car .

As fo the graduation thing...it might be an australian thing but im in year 11 and havent recieved anything for going to school

I recieved more for graduating from elementary school; a bag full of marshamllows and trail mix. Middle school was a generally crappy time period for me, anyways.

We don't have any celebration for 8th grade here. I do give her a grading present. She struggles hard all year to pass (learning disabilities)and a reward to work for seems to help her through.

___________________________________________

If at first you DO succeed, try not to look astonished.

Where I grew up 8th grade graduations were only celebrated by the kids who went to Catholic school, and even then it was usually a go-out-to-dinner type of thing, not much more.

The spouse's oldest son is graduating 8th grade later this month. Thus far we have spent $50 on pictures, $200 on a tux, and over $700 on a gift (laptop). Then there will be the cost of gas for the trip, and I'm very surprised his ex hasn't asked him to pitch in for the party yet.

I personally think this is all too much. Did you or one of your children have an 8th grade graduation, and how was it celebrated? Or do you live somewhere that it's not a big deal?

Last edited by Theresa_M at 16-Jun-2005 15:33

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There is water at the bottom of the ocean

I think maybe its cos I am English but we don't celebrate leaving school in the same way?

we don't call it graduation,and at my school we didn't do anything accept...... well leave? - was very happy to do that mind you!

i am trying to think how old 8th graders are? mine as my year eights are 12/13 years old? all that for passing a grade??(or is it something else?)

My current year elevens are having a Ball in a couple of weeks but that is a recent idea, as in it didn 't happen when i was young(huh how old does that make me sound??)

we do celebrate Uni graduation, but i didn't go to mine i hated Uni.

i did celebrate the teacher training thing but i loved that - completely enjoyed my training.

GFG

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Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
Harvey S. Firestone

I personally think this is all too much.

I would agree.

I don't even think my 8th grade completion circa 1993 was even recognized in any special way. It was like finishing any other grade before that... the last day came and we all went on summer vacation, never to return to the middle school.

I got a nice dress for my yr 6 'farewell' (we didn't call it a graduation, it sounded over-the-top) It was a bit ho-hum. And so it should be, I wasn't legally allowed to leave school for another 2 years anyway. It was basically a school-run party with friends that you weren't likely to see again.

yr 10 I think is worthwhile, as that is where I left HS.
I wanted a party to say yes, this part of my life is complete, small celebration and off we trot to the real world

yr 12 is a bit pfft cause if you go to your ZHSC you are probably (hopefully) going to uni and aren't really graduating anything


*I did a yr 12 as a partner to my then BF, $200 dress and his aunt did my hair.

*I wore the same dress to my own yr 10 (well, long story but I was technically an 'and partner')and I did my own hair (this was a mistake).


If your partner's son required a laptop, thats fine, but otherwise I think you have already gone above and beyond and perhaps you should stop now.

You don't want to get overexcited over something so minor otherwise the major things you try to celebrate will seem minor too.

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett