Posted on 11/22/2021 4:58:17 AM PST by devane617
As families prepare to celebrate a holiday focused on gratitude, many parents say their children aren't as thankful as they should be.
Four in five parents in a new national poll agree that children today are not grateful for what they have, with over half of parents worrying that they're giving their children too much and two in five saying they're even sometimes "embarrassed by how selfish their child acts."
But most parents do in fact want to raise appreciative kids, with three in four saying it's a high priority to teach their children gratitude, according to the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health at University of Michigan Health.
"Many parents may look back to their own childhood and, in comparison, wonder if they are giving their child too much in the way of material things. Parents may have watched their child behave selfishly, such as refusing to share with other children or saying they don't like a particular gift," said Mott Poll co-director Sarah Clark, M.P.H.
"We know that gratitude is associated with more positive emotions, having strong relationships, enjoying more experiences and even health benefits," she added. "However, gratitude is not something that children usually acquire automatically; it needs to be nurtured, in an age-appropriate way."
The nationally representative poll report was based on responses from parents of children ages 4-10.
"Parents who place a high priority on teaching their child gratitude are more likely to report their children exhibit behaviors associated with thankfulness and a willingness to give to others," Clark said.
"While Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to give thanks, parents can teach and model kindness and gratitude throughout the year. Over time and through experiences, children will learn to be grateful for others and appreciate what they have."
Nearly all parents polled agree that it's possible to teach children to be grateful, but they used different strategies.
Social media plays a huge role in all of this.
Thankful for what? For the fact that their parents voted for politicians who would give them goodies and stick their kids with the bill?
I agree. Kids have access to what every other kid in the world is doing or has and believe they too should have the same. Social media is the perfect medium for the socialist/communist generation.
My parents ALWAYS worked hard and took care of us the best they could.
They did a good job. And we did the same for our kids.
Likely 4 of 5 parents didn’t spank their kids either...so what did they expect?
Children should be grateful if they have 2 caring parents.
Grew up very poor but never complained to my parents, ever. Mindset was just factual, I simply knew I didn’t have what my friends had.
I blame a lot of parents. 8 and 10 year old kids get $1100 latest and greatest iPhones??! They create these spoil, entitled infant terribles.
I agree. But "care" is a combination of trying to care, and knowing how to care. Parents who say they care while taking actions that harm their kids are not caring parents.
“Here kid, there’s a phone and a computer, soyonara!
What they’re not grateful?”
Note that the above link takes you to the video, but you have to turn on the sound and click the image to start it up.
. . . and I’d be grateful to anyone who told me how to change that link so that it would autostart.
yes!!
Exactly, Care is limited to white privilege these days. All words have double meanings in the political lexicon.
“parents say” and who raised them?
“It’s not so much about being thankful when you’re young, it’s not knowing how the world operates. My job as a kid was to work hard in school and do some chores.....and be respectful.”
BINGO! That’s all my parents asked for. Keep up your grades, graduate, get out of the house when you’re 18 and dont get any girl pregnant before you hit 25 and dont get a criminal record. (that’s what my dad told me)
Gratitude. Never asked them for money after high school and I paid for their cars and mortgage after graduating from Stanford.
I said it before, its going to take a serious economic depression to make this generation understand how good they had it.
I sound and feel like my father.
No it’s an issue with poor parenting kids learn from their parents.
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