What are Americans missing???

Hey no prob! 

Not everyone has to agree about everything. This is just from my observations of a percentage of the teen population here....

Total lack of respect for anyone and anything.......

But I agree with you as well about it could be do the the home enviroment....

I think I should expound on this bit about

teen population here...........as in on the IOM........

It seems she is developing this "entitled" attitude that I don't like.  She is a very sweet child by nature but there seems to be a great deal of things that I am seeing about her belief system that I am not liking. 

As others have said, I'm afraid this attitude has taken a good hold here as well, and is certainly getting worse.   I'd say it's more a question of region (UK or US) and background.

I think she is getting a LOT from areas such as TV and school here in the US. 

Hmm...   TV is pretty bad in this respect here.  Some of the stuff aimed at kids now is very materialistic.    As for schools, I think the growing numbers of people here who are turning to home-schooling probably speaks for itself.

Sadly, respect for elders among children has declined rapidly over the years.   Walk along a street here these days and you're likely to hear 9 and 10-year-olds using language that you and I probably never even knew existed at that age.   

I don't mean to write off the younger generation entirely with sweeping generalizations, but I don;t think anyone could deny that the civility which was expected (and given on the whole) in the past still exists today.   And I think that goes for both our countries. 

since I hadn't taken the bus  anywhere  since I was a teen myself in the states.. taking the bus here  on a regular basis now, I am surprised  at the lack of respect for the driver  as well as  other  riders. I am in shock at how kids stay seated  while  older folks  are left to stand and  'surf' the ride  ..I stand up when i can but i'm only one person..

there seems to be a great deal of things that I am seeing about her belief system that I am not liking. 
While this may have to do with age and developmental Stages, I think she is getting a LOT from areas such as TV and school here in the US. 

I'm quite interested in developmental stages (doing my MSc in Psych. of child development) and one thing that I think is quite fascinating about moral development is that most theories conclude that while some people continue to move up through a series of stages, it's one area of development where people can get stuck and quit moving up. So whatever parents can do to keep their kids growing morally is of vital importance. So good on you for paying attention and getting involved, nanady.

Here's a decent link to Kohlberg's theory, which is one of the most well-developed and respected:
http://mentalhelp.net/psyhelp/chap3/chap3h.htm

one thing that I think is quite fascinating about moral development is that most theories conclude that while some people continue to move up through a series of stages, it's one area of development where people can get stuck and quit moving up. So whatever parents can do to keep their kids growing morally is of vital importance. So good on you for

I see you've met my ex-boyfriend. 

I see you've met my ex-boyfriend. 

 

(Not saying any more about MY ex until I have a notarised letter from him re: relocating the kiddos to Scotland....)

I think this is one of the reasons I want to move to the UK.  I was horrified by some of the things my daughter (only just turned 11) found to be the highlight of our trip to the UK.  As stated, her highlight was Wal-Marts ASDA stores.  I have tried to NOT raise her to be materialistic, arrogant and pampas but am afraid that these are the attributes she is gaining from the American culture.  It seems she is developing this "entitled" attitude that I don't like.  She is a very sweet child by nature but there seems to be a great deal of things that I am seeing about her belief system that I am not liking. 
While this may have to do with age and developmental Stages, I think she is getting a LOT from areas such as TV and school here in the US.  These may also be some things about myself that I don't want to see but are there as well.   :\\\'(
The decision to move is a HUGE one and one I am not taking lightly, part of why I have started this thread, I want to learn all I can before we move.  Being a single mom and moving to another country is a BIG deal.  Thank you to everyone who is posting and responding about my concerns.

Materialism is not unique to American culture, contrary to popular belief. Unfortunately when you live here you realize people are just as focused on things like brand names and buying designer clothes -- if not moreso. And among schoolkids it's all about having the latest mobile phone, wearing the coolest brand clothes, listening to the very latest pop music, shopping as a hobby, etc. If you don't have all that, you're uncool. It's no different than anywhere else. If you think you're escaping all that when you come here, you're wrong. And people are just as influenced by TV and media here too, if not moreso. Just look at all the women's mags entirely devoted to celebrities! I personally don't think all the celebrity worship here is healthy. And to add, I also hate the way there's always topless girls in daily newspapers, including centrefolds, which sets us back about 50 years in terms of equality.

And to add, I also hate the way there's always topless girls in daily newspapers, including centrefolds, which sets us back about 50 years in terms of equality.

Well then, you're obviously an ugly, humourless feminazi (The Sun's standard response to critics of its Page 3 "girls").

Well then, you're obviously an ugly, humourless feminazi (The Sun's standard response to critics of its Page 3 "girls").

Don't you agree it's slightly demeaning? I think anyone would feel that to some degree.

ETA: Sorry, I didn't realize you were a guy. Guess not, lol.

I guess I can say Americans are missing out on the more lax attitude toward altering your mind here, whether it be through drink or dope or whatever. Drinking is a huge part of the culture and getting drunk is a pastime, rather than something that is frowned upon in many parts of the US. In fact, people expect you'll probably come to work with a hangover occasionally. Also, there's more lax laws on drugs, and marijuana has been downclassed so you won't get arrested if you're in possession of it anymore, that is unless you intend to sell it.

Don't you agree it's slightly demeaning? I think anyone would feel that to some degree.

ETA: Sorry, I didn't realize you were a guy. Guess not, lol.

I was being sarcastic.  like I said in my parenthetical note, that's the argument these papers always employ when women criticise their topless pictures.  Not sure how they deal with criticism from guys - they probably imply that we're gay.

Personally, I don't miss the trashiness of much of the British press, even though American newspapers can be a little dull.  I guess my ideal newspaper would combine American respect for factual accuracy and the separation of fact from opinion with British humour and lack of automatic deference to official sources (I forget who coined the phrase "stenographers to power", but too many American newspapers seem content to assume that role).

SO what is the answer to addressing the global youth and what do parents have to do to ensure they are raising their children to have respect but not to ostracize them from the other children and how they are being raised??? 
While I do agreethat the youth of today (at least those I am familiar with in the States) show little respect to self or others.  However, I am reminded that this was also the attitude that the adults had as far back as Socrates when he was put to death in part for corrupting the youth of Athens.  As time progressed it was Elvis and the Beatles who were the cause of wild youth and the lack of respect the youth were said to have.  Now here I sit in the 21st century complaining about how the youth has gone wild and not sure what to do about it.  Is it that the youth are bad or is it that we have just grown up and view the world differently???
I don't know the answers, I guess I too have placed a stereotype on the British people since I felt that I would be doing my child a far greater justice to relocate to a place where manors are still a part of life but it sounds as if things are just as bad.  Ohhhh what to do?

I think abig thing is that w etreat children like adults.. expect them to react like adults..  don't limit  things  that are meant  for adults..    and I don't believe  that just because  we want it.. they can respond  like adults..

I think abig thing is that w etreat children like adults.. expect them to react like adults.. don't limit things that are meant for adults.. and I don't believe that just because we want it.. they can respond like adults..

I think you're right. In my experience as a teacher in the UK, children these days know full well what their "rights" are but have no grasp whatsoever on the responsibilities that go with those rights.

Kids are, at the end of the day, irresponsible and selfish. They're supposed to be... it's part of the process of growing up and they pretty much all grow out of it by the time they're in their late teens. Unfortunately society these days insists that we treat them as adults and give them all of the rights that adults are entitled to. They are basically too immature to appreciate that they have responsibilities in terms of behaviour and decency.