Princess Culture

     I know we discussed the "princess culture," a long time ago, but this is one topic I cannot seem to get out of my head. We see the princess culture every day in children. The children who are given everything they want by their parents. The children who seem to have never heard the word no in their lives. The children whose parents made them believe that they are in control. I am shocked at the way some of these children behave, but then I think, some of these children are only four or five years old. The real people, in my opinion, we need question is the parents.
     I am fully aware that being a parent is not an easy task. I am sure that some children are more difficult to control than others. However, when parents are giving their children everything they ask for and rarely telling them no, children are going to believe this is how it should always be. Parents like to shower their children with gifts and reward them when they are being good. I agree that we should reward children when they do something good. I do not, however, believe we should reward children for nothing at all. Children are not dogs, you cannot train them with treats forever. Eventually, treats and rewards are what they expect and that will be the only reason they will behave. Along with that, many parents reward their children for misbehaving. Children cry so their parents cave in and give them what they want just to ease their temper. This will in no way teach a child the correct way to act. This will tell the child that she is in control and all she needs to do is cry. With tears, whatever she wants is hers. This is no way to parent a child.
     I realize that I am not a parent so many people may think that I have no idea what I am talking about. Maybe I don't. However, I do have friends with small siblings. Many of them fit the mold of the princess culture. One girl in particular, lives in an extremely nice neighborhood in Indiana. Her father is a doctor and she is five years old. When she got home from school one day, she told her mother that the family needs to move into a larger house because their house does not have an indoor basketball court like her friends at school do. When I heard this statement, I was shocked. How can I five year old child, who receives an immense amount of unnecessary things, be complaining about not having an indoor basketball court? I am not saying this because I am jealous of what some people receive. I was a very lucky child. I was blessed with great parents and a great family. I was always taken care of and never had to worry. To this day, I know that if something goes wrong, my parents will be their to take care of me. However, I was not raised without discipline  which is what is seen out of many children. I know right from wrong and I know that I cannot get whatever I want by complaining or crying. Children need to be taught this message at a young age or they will go through life expecting everything to be handed to them.
     I understand if some people do not agree with what I have said. However, that does not change what I believe. I am in no way saying that children don't deserve to be given gifts. I am not saying that children should get no rewards for anything. Children deserve love and affection at all times. They should always be able to trust their parents with anything and go to their parents when something is wrong. I am only saying that if parents do not discipline their children and always give them everything they want, their child may grow up selfish. Their child may grow up believing that it is her world and the rest of us just happen to be lucky enough to live in it. I do not know what my future holds, but I do know that if I am lucky enough to have a daughter, I will do everything I can to avoid the "princess culture."