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O/T Is it me or are tweens and teens these days more disrespectful than in kids in the past?

jlot's picture

I sound about 100 years old just saying this, but is it me or do tweens/teens disrespect adults more often today than in the past? I am in my early 30s and I can remember being very respectful of adults growing up. I didn't insert myself into grownup conversations, I didn't make snide comments or be rude to adults. My parents would have killed me.

However, in the last week, during multpile family holiday gatherings, I have noticed tweens/teens acting like they are adults - involving themselves in adult conversations (for example adults talking about something and they inserting themself asking what's going on? why is that happening? My opinion is....etc.), making rude Iknoweverything comments to various adults and I also notice parents don't tell them to knock it off. I know young adults think they know everything...that's a given, but to be so out there and blunt is just damn rude.

Okay, done with my old lady rant.

Comments

stepgin's picture

Amen, Crayon! I'm 53 and my friends and I discuss this all the time. We're responsible for raising a generation of selfish, entitled brats. Our "kids" are in their 30s and want everything we have. They don't seem to realize that we didn't have new cars, nice homes or big screen tvs in our 30s either. We worked for it and didnt expect our parents to support us once we were adults. And I would never have talked back to someone who was my elder! Or if I did, there was a price to pay!

jlot's picture

Ladies, I couldn't agree more...learning the art of appreciation is so important..having pride in you and your accomplishments and not being handed everything.
I also think being treated like an adult when you are not one is not appropriate. Take time, be a kid...make some mistakes, learn!!! Most importantly, respect people.

Asher10's picture

yeah when kids began expecting an inheritence,expecting mom and dad to pay for college,expecting mom and dad to buy them a car,etc...that's when all the sh*t hit the fan.
I can't stand these parents who are like 'i want little erica to have all the things I never had growing up!'
well um i hate to break it to you moron but handing little erica everything you didn't have is ruining little erica's character and now she's a selfish butthead because of it. sheeesh!
oh and the bullsh*t self esteem rampage that has overtaken this country in leaps and bounds is utterly unbearable anymore.OMFG, little tommy learned to wipe his own ass!WOOHOOO! lets buy him an xbox,$500 worth of games for it and a brand new porche!!

*the names erica and tommy are used as an example only and not meant to imply that i was referring to anyone specifically.

Asher10's picture

this is why i think people should have to apply for a license to have a child.we need permits and licenses for everything else,why shouldn't we need one in order to reproduce?there should be a whole application process before you're allowed to reproduce Smile sad to say but many of our skids wouldn't exist then because the BM's wouldn't pass the application process }:)

Asher10's picture

i love the idea,but then of course you'd have people throwing a fit about their 'rights' being violated and all that trash.because creating offspring you can't support and raise is a 'right' ya know! :?

Marie0124's picture

I am a middle school teacher and I completely agree about the rudeness if kids. I'm only 30 but I wouldn't dream of talking to teachers or adults the way these kids do. I think most of it has to do with parents. They can't admit that their angels do anything wrong. There are no rules..no discipline...no consequences. It's so hard watching my husbands kids grow up because we have no control over how they will be. They are with BM most of the time and she coddled and babies them and they get whatever they want

Milomom's picture

Generation E (Entitlement) is clearly on the fast track to LOSERVILLE!!

The entire concept of personal accountability and responsibility has been thrown to the wayside. Now Generation E expects to be handed everything on a silver platter and FAST - hence the concept IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION that this generation knows oh so well.

You know what? Let them flail about and flounder when they realize how far THEIR actions take them - nowhere.

That's the problem - the parents that can't seem to grasp the concept of raising their kids to be SELF-SUFFICIENT, INDEPENDENT, HARD-WORKING, PRODUCTIVE adults in society. They just keep "swooping in" to save the day for these kids. Unfortunately they are not helping them when they do this, they're HURTING them.

Oh well, not my kids, not my problem.....

007Lostit's picture

I think they are more disrespectful. I was just having this conversation with my mother. I have seen it in my own kids and believe me, they are put right in their place when they try to do this. My Skids? Nah...they know it all and no one better tell them what to do.
I was thinking it was more like the more you give kids the more they expect. If they don't have to work for anything and you are given everything you ask for then you do not appreciate it and you expect that you just deserve these things without having to work hard.
That, and all the gadgets and gizmos that take away the human aspect to life. Cell phones, twitter, facebook, my space....they think every little thing they do is worthy of someones elses time. They no longer know how to communicate with people face to face and have a real conversation. They aren't going to know how to spell either!! Wink