Kids More Stressed Out Than Ever Before, Survey Shows

With the unemployment rate now at 10.2%, the cost of everything including big jumps in college tuition, nightly broadcasts of violence in the workplace, at Army posts, abductions by predators, lack of jobs for teens, divorces and/or custody battles, etc. no wonder kids are stressed today as they see their future mirrored by the media and their parents lives. What's to live for? Paying $20o,000 for a college education only to find no decent paying job, having to pay for the future deficits our president and congress are foistering on them, lack of adult supeervision in the home, lack of morals and especially the politically correctness of no God or country espoused in the classrooms. What we have done is made the next generation totally stressed and exhausted. I know I had an easier time bringing up my children than my own children are having these days. Very sad indeed.

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lgcoach77 is absolutely right. Parents today are children themselves.
As a parent myself, I see up close the narcissistic me-first behavior of parents all around me. And, as if that weren't bad enough, they over-stress their kids about everything while leaving a messed up
environment, economy and moral code to them to inherit. No wonder they're stressed! So parents, put away your video games, your
cocktails and your SUV's for a minute and take a look in the mirror!
Life is shorter than you think (I'm 51 and it happened FAST), and remember, when you die, none of this material crap goes WITH you!
All that's left is wha your kids remember about you! I KNOW because
my parents are both gone! And I miss them terribly! Their stuff doesn't miss them! I do!

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I completely agree! I' am a middle school student and there is sooooo much stress put on kids my age. First we only have four minutes to get to each class if we don't get there on time, even if we are only 2 seconds late we have to write a letter home to parents. If we are late more than 3 times we have a SATURDAY detention. Not just a lunch detention, or a late detention! They take away our precious Saturday just because in like 200 days of school we are late 3 times. And if you are late 5 times you get suspended for 3 days! Once you get to a class we have more sh** to deal with. Most nights you have a ton of homework, and a lot of it has nothing to do with what we are doing! A couple weeks ago in English TWO projects were due in the SAME class 1 day apart. I really procrastinated on both, before you go saying its my fault listen to this: The first project was 2 packets, well the packet were easy but then we had to do 2 vocab words for each chapter. I really didn't think it would take long but trust me it did! My English teacher wasn't going to take anything late so when i didn't finish the project i stayed home from school the next day to complete it. Each vocab word had to be on a separate piece of paper so in the end i wasted about 200 pieces of paper! Then the second project was an ABC book, I had to think of 1 word from the book for every letter of the alphabet. It took me NINE HOURS STRAIGHT to complete! NO project should take that long. Then the teacher took off points on pointless things, and I only got a B!!!! I know a B is a good grade but not if you worked nine hours on the assignment! Oh and a couple days ago my English teacher went into a rant about how horrible children are in America. How we don't speak good enough English. I sort of agreed with her until she said that and I quote "You are all stupid, and when the Chinese take over the world you will all be taught proper English!!!!" un-quote. Then she stormed out of the classroom!!! You can probably tell but I don't really like My English teacher. Sorry this was so long, but i feel very strongly about this topic.

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As soon as I noticed my 3 year old having problems with French, and Italian, I took him out of Italian class. It is the parents stressing the kids. Until he is 5, he will only learn 2 languages.

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I a gree with what some of you are saying, but the bible say, ever generation get wiser and weaker.these kids have no respect for them self's and none for the parents, it sad, the boys walk around with their pants on their knees showing the pure ass, the girls are as bad as the boys with no respect for no one, when i was a kid my thing was to be pretty with pretty clothes, I can't remember worrying about what my parents had to worry about. it was all about me being pretty, but I see to day these prarent's don't do as my parents done to me, I had to do my chores before I done anything, then my home work, I could;nt tell my dad I was.nt going to what I was told to do, I am grown married with 2 children and I tell you these littlt people think it's all about them and no one else matter. I almost hate my son. that bastard is spoiled rotten and if I don't do what he say, he goes in a rage. I have to figth with him everday over dum shit. I am tird of all of them. it is my time now,

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None of the "horrible" stressors that people lament about here are new. Every single one of them was there when I was a kid 40 years ago, and I knew about all of them, probably more than average. Global warming had been theorized, and in addition, diappearance of the ozone layer, a new ice age, deadly diseases that have now become much more survivable, overpopulation to the point of mass starvation within our lifetime, and best of all, nuclear world war, which could kill us all instantly or wipe out the world food supply in days. Yeah, anyone else remember those days? Do you really think we didn't know we were going to have to grow up and get a job and make ends meet? That we didn't have academic and peer pressure at school? That we didn't have to work to earn our pocket money and plan & save for college? That we didn't know our parents had money issues? That parents didn't fight in front of their kids? Hello! On top of all that, we had a lot of chores on average and our parents were more likely to use "scary" punishments. If you don't remember these things and you're over 20, then that proves my point that people don't clearly remember past feelings. They may have a sense that they "were" stressed, but not the specific level of stress as compared to today's stress level, which is what the survey asked for.

I would say there are differences, but they go both ways. My kids started "school" at 2, and I was nearly 5 when I first entered any kind of group care (KG), unless you count my siblings. So I was "free to be myself" for twice as long. But on the other hand, maybe that was why KG was pretty traumatic and I never did come to like school. Another difference is that kids' food has a lot more unnatural stuff in it, including hormones, preservatives, artificial colors, etc, and kids eat more sugars and are fatter nowadays, all of which physically impact emotions and make it harder for a child to exercise self-control to keep up with responsibilities and stay out of trouble. On the other hand, a lot more kids are medicated nowadays, so maybe the unnatural substances balance each other out. Kids today think money is tight because it's tighter than it was 2 years ago, but what kids don't realize is that the previous 5 years or so, they lived a charmed life as far as finances go. The "things" we could afford as kids don't even compare to what today's kids take for granted. And socially, older generations (especially women) were expected to (a) make peace with their parents, maintain contact, and help and support them in their declining years, and (b) make whatever physical and behavioral adjustments might be needed to attract a mate and keep [him] forever and adjust to almost any personality type / behavior in order to be able to raise a "happy" family, among other things. Nowadays, it's anything goes - you don't have to be married to become a parent, you can live together until it no longer suits you, you can be "happily divorced," etc., and there's relatively no stigma on you or your child. And it's fashionable to hate and blame your parents and demand that the government take care of them while you shrug your shoulders and shower more goodies on yourselves and your kids. Today's kids are taught that if they don't like what's behind door #1, they can go back and choose door #2 any time they want. They don't even realize that it hasn't always been that way. And remember the days when we worried when there wasn't enough rainfall during growing season, because it could mean food prices would double or triple within months? How about the days when one's family's whole livelihood depended on the year's weather? What if you had that to look forward to that for your whole adult life? Or is that not called stress?

It can easily be proven that today's kids don't have more objective reasons to stress compared to the past. But what does seem to be recent is the attitude that it's too much for them and they shouldn't have to deal with it. Stress is part of growing up. Young people need to be acknowledging and dealing with it and moving forward. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Embrace challenges. That's the ony way you'll ever rise above them.

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So what did you expect? We yank 'em out of the womb, dry 'em off then whip 'em into pre-pre-pre-pre school so "Mama: can get back to her life before the poor kid learns to walk. Worse yet, some fools pack 'em off to Grandma's house where they have the pleasure of being raised by someone 50 years their senior (won't that be fun) By the time the kid is 18 they've spent 17 1/2 years in school. Who wouldn't be stressed. If you don't have the time to give your kid, don't have the kid !

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Wow, First of all I have to agree with SKL. I am 21 and in college, and for you that say colleges only take the best of the best, I laugh in your face. I may be an honors student, but my roommate is holding approximately a 66% in college. I have a feeling his grades in high school sucked too, and yet he had no problem getting into college. Basically every kid can get into college, maybe not Harvard or Yale, but they can get into college. All colleges want is money so they don't really care how stupid your kids are they will take them. As SKL stated things were a lot worse during the great depression. Granted Obama is a horrible president, but kids today are so spoiled it makes me sick. Parents are now told that they have to put their kid on timeout, spanking is bad it could harm their phychological development. This is a bunch of crap I was spanked and paddled as a kid and guess what I turned out to be respectful and well behaved without any scars from this form of correction. If you want an honest opinon about stress from someone who was a teenager just a few years ago; I'm telling you how it is. This survey is a bunch of crap. these kids grew up in the era where everything was given to them so of course when money got tight they cried like the little babies they are. Wake up America bring back spanking and actually discipline your child. Don't give them everything they want and teach them responsibility through chores. That is how it was always done and guess what it worked really well. So you want less stressed out kids then stop treating them like babies don't give them a bandaid for every cut, they need to learn sometime how to stand on their own without mommy and daddy holding on to them.

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First of all I want to say that I have three children my youngest one is 1 my middle one is 2 and my oldest one is 3!! This whole thing about stress is crazy. I am a 24 year old stay at home mom, and I know when I was in school I stayed stressed out all the time. So I just wanted to comment on what Leah had to say....
Leah- I know exactly what you are talking about with the teachers expecting too much out of you and giving you a crap load of homework. In my opinion there should be no such thing as homework. I feel if you go to school 8 hours out of the day for 5 days a week you should be able to come home and relax and get ready for the next day at school. I also feel that teachers should only be allowed to give one homework assignment a night. Giving two projects to do at a time is wrong. I remember when I was in school I used to stress all the time that I was going to be late for class b/c you have no time what so ever to do anything in between classes. I feel that the schools need to change there ways all together. And another negative about the schools is the time that the kids get to eat lunch. They get what 25 minutes? And in that time they have to order there food and eat it. After you stand in line for 10 ore more minutes. That is why most kids don't eat at school because you have no time at all to eat. But again like a lot of people have already mentioned. Most of the kids that are stressed out it is mainly the parents fault. Especially the parents that fight in front of their children. In my opinion parents should keep there financial problems and their marital problems to themselves and keep their children out of it. It is not their fault that their parents can't pay the bills but there is no need to scare the kids into thinking that they are going to have to move because mommy and daddy can't pay the rent. I am a stay at home mom and my husband works, I feel like at least one parent needs to stay at home with the kids. Even if they are in school, at least you are there when they get home. You had them a babysitter didn't so you should be responsible enough to take care of them instead of pawning them off on someone else. That is just my opinion though.

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I don't agree that children these days have any more to be stressed about than we did as kids, BUT I also don't agree that children don't remember their stress. I'm 55 and remember quite clearly what stressed me as a kid. The big difference these days is that children are told they cannot do anything about their stress. They are treated like little children at 14, 15, 16. Parents of twenty somethings come to the workplace to complain that little Johnny didn't get a day off he requested, or that he's being expected to do his job. Someone said it earlier, children don't magically turn into adults at age 18.
Kids used to be able to work at age 14, now with government restrictions and laws about what they cannot do most companies will not hire them until 16. They cannot take chances because someone will tell them it's too dangerous. They cannot ride a bike without a protective outfit.
Simply put, they are so over protected now they cannot deal with stress. Yes, stress is part of growing up, but if you're not being allowed to grow up how will you learn to deal with it?

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brenda k greene- I cannot believe that you would actually say that you almost hate your son. I am a mother of three they are all under the age of three. I could never picture myself saying that I almost hate my child, or calling them a "little bastard". How in the world can you say something like that? If you can't stand them then why did you lay down and have them? I really don't understand people like you. There are millions of wonderful people out there that can't have kids and they deserve them and then you have people like you who have them but can't stand them. You knew before you had children that it was all about them. When you have children your life stops, it ain't all about you no more. It is all about THEM!! How can you say that you are tired of it? It is time for you now? People like you don't deserve children and those children deserve a better parent. I can only imagine what kind of life those children have. They probably get screamed at and cussed at all the time. Children are so precious and innocent. They didn't ask to be brought into this world and if you can't handle them or if you hate them, why don't you give them to someone that will love them and give them the respect they deserve. People like you deserve to be alone and lonely, you don't deserve children. My children are a blessing to me and I don't know what I would do without them, and I am only 24. I am pretty sure you are much older then me and I am more mature then you are. You don't even deserve to be called mom. SHAME on you for what you said!!! And remember God don't like ugly and your children are also his children and he don't like anyone who doesn't treat his children the way they should be treated. So go sleep on that tonight. I don't see how you can even lay down at night and sleep but people like you have no heart. All I have to say to you is I really hope someone steps in and helps those innocent children, that way then you can have "your time". You on the other hand needs some serious help. I really hope you got fixed to where you can't have to more children.

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You have little kids, so how do you know how you're going to feel about them when they steal your money and then call you a foul name for questioning them about it? Oh, you're sure your little darlings would never do that. Experience is the best teacher, and you don't have much of it.

I never "hated" any of the kids I've worked on raising, but I've felt the urge to bash their heads in a few times during adolescence.

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We see our rents stressed, we hear about the finances. The way our country is going is the reason why. We do not have leadership, poor economy, larger government and rampant spending and it reflects on all of us. Yea even kid's and teenagers. I would put the blame on a bad administration that is taking away from our freedoms and costing a lot. People are angry that they voted for a dishonest president who ran as a moderate candidate, and once in office created an agenda that began spending, rasing taxes, and now people generally are upset. I think people felt betrayed.
The health care issue and the economy.
That is the key to the stress in our society today.
Thank you, President Obama.

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although i do think this article is mostly bull i do think that kids are more stressed out than they were when i was a child (i'm 28 now).there is so much pressure on children as young as 7 or 8 to become the smartest, the brightest,the most athletic, ect.What ever happened to letting kids just be kids?Do kids need to be in 2 or 3 different sports or other extra curriculars every week?i think it is kind of our fault as parents and kind of the way these times are where both parents are working to make ends meet so they feel that they have to put their kids in some sort of after school program or extra curricular activity in order to make their kids forget about them a little while longer so their kids don't feel like their parents are gone all of the time (which if u think about it most of us are now days. i believe that we as parents need to make sacrifices not by working more at our jobs,but by getting rid of some of the luxuries we end up working so hard for like cable,fancy stuff for the house,ect and really start spending more time with our kids .its our fault that they are stressed

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Kids haven't the slightest idea of REAL stress, and neither do 90% of the posters here. Try landing a plane load of people with no power. The guy in front (pilot) is always the first to the scene of the accident, and unless he is muslim, he doesn't want to die anymore that the people in back. Or how about walking a single patrol in Iraq. You want real stress, walk point!

You Americans are raising a bunch of pampered pussies! Let them be kids, let them fall out of a tree and break an arm. Cheap trade off for the fun of seeing how high they can climb and the ADVENTURE!

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Related article with suggestions for teens--

"When Parents Stress Out Teens"
http://christian-secrets.com/?p=190

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