Treats and rewards

i understand where you are coming from Imperfect27. I can remember when my children were small i i was at home and not working, it was hard when we went shopping not being able to buy them a little treat as money was so tight. Even a cold drink on a hot day had to be factored into the budget for the week!!! Now when i shop in the supermarket i see little ones looking at toys, sweets etc and expecting something as their right of passage, its just the times we live in and the way of life, it isn't going to change, but i do understand your point of view.

True Pompa the full story was not known. It was more the train of thought it sparked in me that I wanted to explore here. I do think there is a general trend to reward children for all manner of things that a
generation ago would have been part of life / expected behaviours.
Maybe I really am just a grumpy old woman . I also belong to a fading generation of parents who were able to be at home when their children were growing up. I worked, but within term time and was always able to be there at the beginning and end of the school day. I think children receive so much more materially now because there is more money, but are also given more so parents feel less guilty about not being there for them. My children never expected a daily treat at the school gate and weren't fed things to keep them quiet on trips around the supermarket. They had weekly treats including pocket money on a Friday, a family film / games evening - plenty of fun, but no need for a constant trickle of crsips / sweeties / fizzy drinks / something special everytime we went shopping.

Without knowing the full story, it is impossible to be critical. The child may have not wanted to take part and had been persuaded. Rewards are a part of life, how many of us would have got up in the morning to go to work without the promise of a reward?