[quote author="MojoJD" date=1257308280]I would have to say that I grew up in a generation and in a demographic that is similar to what childplease is claiming. I completely disagree with his/her stance that everything will work out fine and that you should let your kid be a kid. I was fortunate enough to have parents that insisted that I work to get the things I want during my down times and during the summer, despite their ability to pay for everything without blinking. My parents used to say "If I get you [fill in the blank], what will you want to work toward when you grow up?" as they bought me the lesser/cheaper version of the gift for my birthday or xmas.
What the other posters are saying, and what childplease doesnt realize, is that the average kid in the silver spoon situation turns into a boomerang child; by a LARGE margin. Nearly all of my friends from my relatively privileged neighborhood turned out to be pretty disappointing, especially given the relative smarts in the bunch. Many live at home, or in crappy apts nearby with 4 roommates. Many keep trying to "get in on the ground floor" of the next bullshit t-shirt or energy drink startup. Some went to college to do something fun/intellectual, but failed to heed the warnings of all the pragmatists and non-privileged saying that their theater or art history degree wouldn't get them a job. Guess what? Their jobs suck.
"Its ok sweetie, mommy and daddy are always proud of you." = Recipe for failure.
The next 5 years are going to be interesting. People are going to start feeling a little old for their parent's home and financial umbrella.</blockquote>
Most of your friends living w/ 4 roommates probably enjoys it. They grew up in nice homes and this is their time to learn to "tough it out". There's nothing tough about it, but hopefully you get what I'm saying. The ones that do live at home, they have a nice big room, mom/maid doing their laundry and cooking their food, why leave?
Also they get into that "ground floor" idea because they're used to the idea of making big bucks (like their parents did)...minimum wage and grinding it out isn't for them. They'll soon learn and when they're ready, their parent's friends in that expensive neighborhood will have a job waiting for them. Undeserved? Yes. Ungrateful at the time? Probably. But they'll get used to working 9-5 and be the stress free, easy going, goofy person people enjoy being around. After a few years of realizing making moneys tough, they'll then leverage that opportunity with their smarts (as you posted above), put their drive in gear (like mom and dad) and rise. Or mom and dad will be more successful in a few years and allow them to marinate longer, bring them into a new business venture, etc. Hope I was able to fast forward 5 years for you.