Spoiled Brat Kids Teach My Kids Bad Tricks

As a parent I started wondering where my kids sometimes get their sense of entitlement. How did they become so bratty? Then I realized they were getting it from popular culture – the cartoons they watch, the musicians they listen to and the tiny fashion mavens they follow like the Olson Twins.

One of the most obnoxious brats on television, although a funny one is Stewie from Family Guy. He is only one year old and has an ego the size of outerspace and a contempt for his parents that I am sure is emulated by all kinds of kids.

Another arrogant member of the spoiled brat club is Justin Beiber who acts like there is no other reality but it's own. The young man is a narcissist who cares only about his hair and apparently in real life he is pretty cocky. For his sixteenth birthday he got a Ferrari F430.

In real life one of the uppiest of spoiled brats is little Miss Suri Cruise who despite being only five years old wears little gold high heel shoes and carries a gold lame purse that cost $850.000. As spiritual as Tom Cruise is the word humble does not seem to be part of the family vocabulary.

Another young lady who spoiled rotten and has it show is Will Smith's ten year old daughter who dresses head to toe in cheetah and leopard, wears heavy Gucci and Pucci chains, and $700 boots. She dresses like a retired Miami dowager and not like a little girl.

Lourdes Leon, the daughter of Madonna, gets hours of spa pampering weekly including weekly pedicures, manicures and facials. She is also always seen in designer clothing and carrying bottles of expensive vitamin waters and mineral waters. I was wondering why my child thought she was entitled to drink three dollar bottles of vitamin rich waters rather than just having Kool-Aid like everyone else.

The there is Daddy Brad Pitt who recently let his daughters Zahara and Shiloh spend $10,000 on clothing in an hour. They each also got a $250 hair cut and a $15,0000 doll collection. His son Pax wears a $600 World Vision Jacket.

A show that is almost a cult for spoiled girls to follow is My Super Sweet 16. This show on MTV has main characters that lead innocent children to believe that the apex in life is excessive consumerism. The show is riddled is iPads, Gap clothing, Landrovers and other 'the sky's the limit' type presents.

My Kid Wears Baggy Pants

OK. Enough already. I have tried and tried to understand but I'm at the end of my rope. WHY does my son wear his pants half pulled down?!

Let's run down the checklist. Does is look cool? NO. Is it practical? NO. Is there any good reason for it? NO. Why is this happening?

I've challenged my teenage son by pretending I'm a mugger and start chasing him. He invariably ends up tripping face first because he simply can't run with his pants pulled half down showing his grimy underwear that he changes monthly whether he needs to or not.

Can anyone explain this phenomenon to me?

I buy him pants that are capable of being worn around the waist and secured with a belt. He chooses to wear his belt six notches loose and pull his pants down so they sit on top of his hips. Should I just buy him smaller pants that won't fit that way? Should I stop buying him pants?

Seriously, what if he had to run for his life? He can't. Without coming out and telling him he looks stupid how can I convince him he looks stupid?

Maybe I should start wearing my pants in the same fashion. As a mother I know that the best way to stop a teenage behavior is to mimic it. If mom does it can't possibly be cool. I might have a little trouble getting my husband on board with it as he has resigned himself to the fact that our son is simply stupid and beyond help so he won't embarrass himself for a lost cause. He'd rather just explain to his buddies that he has a stupid son.

So I've decided, I'm going to fight fire with fire. I haven't accompanied him to school for years but I'm going to start. And, you guessed it. My Levis will be worn at the half-hip level with my spaghetti thong prominently displayed for all to drool over. Yes, I have a great rear and all his friends are going to start seeing it. I really hope this shames him enough to start pulling his pants up.

The next step will be to start walking him to school bare breasted, I understand that's legal now.

As a last resort I think I can talk my husband into walking with us wearing nothing but his boxer shorts and sandals.
No easy answer but I welcome any suggestions. Game on!!