Unfortunately American children have had a reputation lately for being entitled and spoiled rotten, and that seems to be the buzz going around in the press these days. First there was that awful video of a bunch of insensitive kids bullying their school bus monitor which went viral, and then I read a recent New Yorker article detailing the truly alarming trend in this country of kids behaving in a manner that is entitled and spoiled.

Parenting strategies to prevent raising spoiled children

I make a conscious effort to teach my children about manners, about responsibility, and about charity so that they don’t grow up too spoiled. Lately, I’ve tried getting my kids to do little things around the house (not nearly as much as they should, mind you, but it’s a start!) and I’m hoping to get them into the routine of having regular chores. We’re not quite there yet, but we’re getting there! I have four ways of of trying to prevent raising spoiled-rotten children, and my first practice is by teaching manners to my kids. I’ve been teaching them the importance of making eye contact when they’re speaking to someone, using a nice tone of voice, shaking hands, welcoming people into our home, and then seeing them out when they leave. I also have talks with them about how they should be respectful to others and to acknowledge others throughout their day, so fingers crossed that it will pay off in the future! I also try to encourage activity around dinnertime, such as clearing their plates after dinner, throwing away their napkins, and pushing in their chairs. It’s not a lot, but they’ve started loading the dishwasher, so I think that this is a step in the right direction.

My children are also (hopefully!) learning the art of self-sufficiency by coming home from school, putting their shoes in the closet, putting their school papers in the drawer and taking off their own clothes, putting them away, and getting into the shower. By taking little steps such as these, I’m hoping to instill in my children a sense of humility and good manners.

As a fourth and final way to encourage my children to be well-behaved and learn to give to others, I also ask them to donate a portion of their allowance to a charity of their choice. I find it extremely important to teach kids to be thankful for what they have because it’s so easy to forget how privileged we are compared to other families. To find out more about this method, watch my video and let me know what you encourage your children to do. Parents, have you noticed this trend of raising bratty kids? What steps do you take to prevent raising spoiled children? Share your thoughts!