Do parents spoil their children more now?

Do parents spoil their children more today than they did 35 years ago?

I'd say yes. I don't believe that you spoil kids by giving them too much stuff. What spoils kids is not getting the care and attention they need. Guilty feeling parents often buy their kids lots of stuff trying to make up for their other shortcomings but in the end it is that we are too busy to raise kids where the problem lies.

I think every generation wants their children to have it better than they did - and it's easy to go overboard doing that.

Dear oneheartnow,
Today we live in a different era than 35 years ago. We have to be careful with the word spoil it is so subjective. We have given our children the power to say NO and to some that is spoiling them. To a support worker like my self that has given them empowerment and finally a voice. Do we give children more material things...of course because there are more. 35 years ago we were given the toys avalible to that time. There can be a misconception that 35 years ago parents spent more time with their children but in reality it was less. Parents were in the fields working till dark, mother's were feeding and changing the younger children, cooking and cleaning not leaving much time for the older ones. Of course all families are different but for the most part from the social field we see it as a much more stable as years ago. There are more complicated reason why our children appear spoiled and it has nothing to do with sparing the rod or the material goods we bestow on them.
Sue...good luck

The answer to that is YES!!

Absolutely YES! - kids are more spoiled these days.. I know this sounds harsh, but I think we've gone WAY overboard when it comes to making kids feel important - I think now kids think that the world revolves around them , and sometimes it does.. There's so many things geared towards kids that they never had when I was a kid-- their own TV channels, websites, clothing stores, companies that do nothing but throw kids parties.. Also, parents shuttling their kids all over town for their sporting events and stuff (I admit I do ths too, lol). But I think the one reason they are more spoiled is that parents these days are too lazy to deal with their own kids. Buy them video games and computers to keep them occupied at home, buy them LCD tvs to keep them occupied in the car, let them go see a R rated movies at 12 (Saw 3?- you must be insane!), or even go to Ozzfest alone when they are 13 (yes I know parents that have done this!) just because they don't want to deal with their whining and complaing if they say no, so it's easier to just say yes- and they want to be their kids' buddy. The nicest thing my son has ever said to me is OH man Mom- you are so strict! - that was proudest parental moment, lol!

I think that I'm really spoiled so my answer is yes. Parents do spoil their children more.