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REFERENCE: Luthar, Suniya S. Phd, “The Problem with Rich
Kids” Psychology Today, December, 2013
Well known, are the problems associated with youth in poverty
and are accepted. They include ignorance,
poor education, stress and behavioral problems.
So what?
This is contrasted with adolescents
with white collar and educated parents whose incomes are $150,000 per year and
above. It would seem that children from
this group are well adjusted, experience minimum stress, and are on a path to normal
adulthood.
So what is the problem?
Increasingly, this group of
youth is experiencing emotional and behavioral problems. Stereotypically, the girls are suffering from
anxiety and depression and the boys are looking for sexual conquests to fill
their self esteem needs. Both sexes are
engaging in binge drinking, drug use, academic cheating, and petty theft.
What
is causing this behavior? There is high
pressure for achievement within this group.
A child of this group is the offspring of materially successful parents
and is expected to uphold the standards.
This includes performing well in high school, being accepted to a
prestigious college and securing a position with a high salary. Unlike the youth in poverty these kids are enrolled in good school systems, relatively safe environments, resources that their parents can provide and therefore have little excuse for performing poorly.
What is happening?
This pressure is transmitted within the
environment that adolescents create for each other as well as from the expectations of their parents. For girls,
it is academic achievement, being part of the right group and more importantly
appearance. For boys, it is academic
achievement, athletic achievement and sexual control.
The ultimate goal is to be materially
successful and have money as do their parents. This future seems to be difficult for them to attain. In their
minds, the road to happiness is by being well-to-do and in control. Lost in this quest is self knowledge, decency,
peace of mind, kindness and self worth.
For boys it typically results in narcissism, ego and dissatisfaction
with self. For girls it typically ends
in low self esteem, depression and anxiety.
The problems are compounded by increased competition for admission to
good colleges and an economy that is not providing the opportunity that it once
did.
What can we do to help the poor little rich kids?
This post is interesting because it's seem that people look at each other and think that the other group has it all together. Many impoverished kids think that rich kids have it made. Its obvious that they have more money, but if they are not taught responsibility with their riches, nourished by their parents or receive the right type of encouragement, they look to things to fulfill what they feel is missing. I think that ultimately the responsibility falls on the parents. Balance is key to anything. What the kids may not have received from their parents can be found in someone who is willing to spend the time to help them adjust; someone willing to mentor them.
ReplyDeleteAs Sabrena said, this post is interesting! The issues you talked about in your blog are clear reasons of why money does not equal happiness. The reason that these children are not well-behaved, respectful or making smart decisions is because their parents assume just because they have provided material items for them then that will happen. A child needs to be taught certain things so that they will succeed. As Sabrena also said, balance is key to anything! These parents need to learn that just because they are successful does not mean that they shouldn't take responsibility in raising their children.
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