Our relationships and reality are being shaped by television. I saw this commercial after watching less than ten minutes. I had been wondering how parents buy their sixteen year old a car and have him be rude, belligerent and generally unkind on a daily basis. How do children get fancy upscale electronics, on par with their parents, yet have no requirements? How do we expect to have to have children who are responsible, dependable or reliable if they can get any and everything they want with little or no reciprocity?
Both the mom in the commercial above and the parents I know personally accept sullen attitudes from their children after the purchase of non-essential items as normal. How? And what kind of guidance and example are they setting? Of course, it's on TV so it must be true and okay, right?
This is not about parenting styles, but a pervasive attitude of entitlement that begins very young and progresses to adulthood.
Even though there is another point to this commercial, I applaud the dad's relaxed attitude.
Children like sweeties, toys, mermaids, trucks, to throw rocks and play in the street. It is the role of the parent or guardian to teach children delayed gratification, polite manners, and kindness.
On the other hand, we can't model behaviors we don't have.
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