The Pampered Child Syndrome

Parents often pamper their children without realizing it. They fail to realize that they are causing much damage to them such as personalty / behavior problems. Somehow I would try to brief a little about it here.

Children (you may see them in classrooms, offices, homes or public areas):
- who are given everything, but constantly demand more;
- who believe that they are entitled to the same rights as adults, but are not ready to accept grown-up responsibilities;
- who are loved, nurtured and protected, yet are unhappy, anxious or angry; and
- who are increasingly being diagnosed with emotional, behavioral or other major psychiatric disorders.

It is a multi-faceted sociological and psychological phenomenon, driven and supported by parents who truly believe they have their children's best interests at heart, and who work hard to ensure that their youngsters are given everything possible to make them feel special.

Please do not treat this child as if they are having measles, depressed, or defiant as this will not helping at all in improving their behavior.

Here is another list of identifying and dealing with them:
- a child may not be willing to accept refusal. He/She may cry or throw a tantrum, if what is desired is not received
- a pampered child may not listen to parents (parents may compromise on authority and the child takes the parents for granted)
- even in other relationships, the pampered child has adjustment problems. Among friends, the child may expect things to go on his/her favor
- the child may hold the parents responsible for her pampered behavior and dislike them for that
- he/she feels that parents can provide anything on this earth and may make demands that parents cannot meet
- parents do not rebuke a pampered child and this can spoil the child. The child may not realize his/her limits
- parents themselves find it difficult to meet demands, although, they try to do so
- he/she may find it difficult to accept setbacks and failures, the child may find it difficult to adjust to other environments which may not be as comfortable as the parental home.


There is a book entitled "How to Recognize it, How to Manage It, and How to Avoid It" by Dr. Maggie Marmen.