Studies show that children who grow up with a sense of entitlement — which comes from over-parenting and overindulging your children — are more concerned about themselves, show less empathy for others, lack a strong work ethic, and may behave as if rules don't apply to them.
Talk about the events people go through across the world and what it might feel like to be in someone else's shoes. When you see selfishness in your kids, set good boundaries and limits. Be consistent. Teach, talk and show what it means to think of others and do for others without strings attached.
Point out Ungratefulness
When you hear your child say or do something that shows an ungrateful attitude, point it out. Be specific without being insulting. For instance, avoid saying something like, “Stop being a brat.” Instead, say something like, “Complaining about not getting more presents is ungrateful.
Confront Disrespect Early and Often
If your child is rude or disrespectful, don't turn a blind eye. Intervene and say: “We don't talk to each other that way in this family.” Giving consequences when your kids are younger is going to pay off in the long run.
Kids Feel like They Have No Control
Sometimes, a child demonstrating ungrateful behavior is doing so not because they don't like the things they have, but because they don't like knowing that they have to get everything they need through somebody else. In a way, that is a very grown-up feeling for them to have.
In other words, an entitled person feels that they deserve something even though they haven't earned it—recognition, rewards, good grades, or a promotion. They see only their needs as important, and often feel the rules don't apply to them.
Some mental health problems can contribute to the development of selfishness. Many personality disorders, particularly antisocial personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder, cause people to be so wrapped up in their own desires that they either do not notice or do not care about the needs of others.
The preoperational stage occurs from 2 to 6 years of age, and is the secondstage in Piaget's stages of cognitive development. Throughout most of thepreoperational stage, a child's thinking is self-centered, or egocentric.
Most children will have dips in self-esteem as they go through different stages or challenges in life, and there are different pressures that may affect them - including social media, bullying, exams, family problems and abuse.
Narcissistic personality disorder involves a pattern of self-centered, arrogant thinking and behavior, a lack of empathy and consideration for other people, and an excessive need for admiration. Others often describe people with NPD as cocky, manipulative, selfish, patronizing, and demanding.
Interrupting . . . running through the house . . . leaving dirty towels on the floor . . . these are all common childhood behaviors. And what they have in common is a focus on self.
Children are selfish.
That's normal in the first stage of life. When we're very young, we're not intellectually capable of seeing the world from a different point of view. As we mature, we develop perspective. We learn to take others' feelings into account, and we behave in more collaborative and less selfish ways.
Studies in behavior genetics show that around 40% of the willingness to help others is inherited. Those who do not help others help themselves, and anti-social behavior is inherited too. Depending on the genotypes of their parents, children may all be selfish, all altruistic or a mixture of both.
Psychology. Lack of empathy has been seen as one of the roots of selfishness, extending as far as the cold manipulation of the psychopath.
Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is one of several personality disorders. People with this condition have an inflated idea of themselves and a need for lots of attention from other people. It's human nature to be selfish and boastful now and then, but true narcissists take it to an extreme.
Antisocial personality disorder, also called psychopathy, is one personality disorder that could cause people to be selfish. People with antisocial personality disorder have a diminished capacity for empathy.
Golden children are usually raised by narcissistic parents who are controlling and authoritarian. They coerce their child into being “perfect” by creating a toxic environment where the children do not feel safe voicing their own opinions or going against any rules.
Disrespectful behavior in children usually occurs because they haven't yet learned how to solve problems or express frustration in mature, healthy ways. In most cases, this rude behavior is temporary. While it can test your patience, there are ways you as a parent can deal with this phase of your child's development.
Disrespectful behavior often comes down to kids having poor problem-solving skills and a lack of knowledge about how to be more respectful as they pull away. Often when kids separate from you they do it all wrong before they learn how to do it right.