We live in a society that is dominated by material things. And as humans, we want to have it all.
We all want the fastest cars, the biggest mansions, latest gadgets, and everything in between.
And when we have kids, we also want them to always have the finer things in life.
We want to send our kids to the best schools and cover them in the best clothes. For parents, they make up for the times they didn’t spend with their kids by buying them material things.
As much happiness money brings us, we should know it’s not real happiness. And this is where everyone goes wrong.
But thanks to societal pressures, this has become the definition of happiness.
So, instead of searching for inner peace and satisfaction of the soul, children reach out for material things for happiness.
Thus, there emerges the “Rich Kid Syndrome”
What is Rich Kid Syndrome?
Even though it’s not recognized as a proper disorder by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Rich Kid Syndrome is very much real.
And given the current scenario, it is very much thriving.
Rick Kid Syndrome is a disorder found in children who grew up in an overprotecting and over-providing environment.
It is seen in a household where children are compensated by material things rather than time, attention or affection.
You don’t necessarily have to be rich to have this disorder. Middle-class people with average income who assume material happiness is the only happiness have it the most.
The rich kid syndrome is also called “Affluenza,” which is the portmanteau of “affluence” and “influenza”.
And according to Ralph Minear, pediatrician, and professor at Harvard University, this could have negative consequences on the physical and emotional health of children.
What causes Rich Kid Syndrome?
While we can’t put the entire blame on parents, they still play a major role in the development of this syndrome.
They tend to give more attention to their work rather than their families. Thus, it creates a hollowness and emptiness in their relationships.
And to fill that emptiness, they turn to things that money can buy, assuming that it is real happiness.
But the truth is every kid needs real love and affection from their parents. It is what help them grow to be happy in real life.
And parents, in many cases, forget the importance of attention, love, and care.
So, to compensate for their lack of emotions, they buy expensive clothes, gadgets, and whatnot.
Ignoring the fact that their attention and affection is what their children really need.
So, as they grow up, they depend more on material things for their happiness than their parents and friends.
And when they have children of their own, the same process repeats, making rich kid syndrome a vicious cycle.
Consequences of Rich Kid Syndrome.
We’ve learned time and again that our every action leads to something. That everything we do has consequences.
Similarly, pamper your kids and hooking them up on materialism also has its own consequences.
Aggression.
Kids that are used to having all their wishes fulfilled in a blink of an eye tend to be more aggressive.
Since all their demands are fulfilled the minute they ask for it, they get used to it. Which means, they are not used to the word “no”.
Therefore, when they face denial, they don’t know how to act. And their aggression starts developing and becoming worse and worse after every denial.
Low tolerance to frustration.
Pampering your child is okay till the point where they know the difference between wanting and needing something.
But when that line crosses, it’s more difficult for the parents to handle their kids.
Their aggression grows so much that they become intolerable of even the smallest of things.
And due to the very low tolerance ability, they get easily frustrated over slightest inconvenience.
Low self-esteem.
Since the children are used to having all their wishes fulfilled without a question, they can’t develop their self-esteem to the fullest.
And once they step out into the real world full of harsh reality, disappointment, and failure, they can’t cope up with it.
Thus, it lowers their self-esteem and confidence.
Unawareness.
People that have rich kid syndrome are usually unaware of the reality of the world.
For them, everything comes easy, which gives them the misconception that it’s the same for everyone else.
Little that they know there are people that don’t have enough to even have two meals a day.
How to avoid Rich Kid Syndrome?
Its never too late to make things right if you feel like your child is out of your control.
It is a handy task, no doubt. But it’s not impossible.
There are a few ways you can get over the rich kid syndrome.
Spend quality time with them.
At the end of the day, the most important thing you could do for your kids is love and support them.
Since they’re your kids, they need your attention and affection the most. And to avoid affluenza, make sure you spend some quality time with your kids as a family.
You’ll know a lot of things about them you previously didn’t, like their interests, friends circle, intelligence, etc.
On top of that, your kids also get to know you better and love and respect you for life.
Reward their effort.
Parenting becomes successful if along with punishments you give rewards to your kids.
Acknowledging them for the good things they did and rewarding them is a great way to motivate your kids.
This helps them develop their self-esteem and encourages them to do the right things always.
Set ground rules.
It’s very important to have ground rules. As a parent, it helps you establish a certain standard. It also keeps your kids inside a limit they shouldn’t cross.
It teaches them to be respectful and also know the value of money and things as they grow up.
