Similar to some of the clients I see. They are on foodstamps, getting assistance for their utility bills, get free cell phones from the government-and yet have additional cell phones (an iphone is a must), getting their nails done, going to the tanning bed and then want to come in and whine about how they dont have money for their bills or food? WTF? This country has a huge sense of entitlemnt and I DO think it is worse than ever. My parents, along with a small scholarship did pay my college bill the first semester of college. I then obtained a part time job, by my 3rd of college I was completely self supporting and finished with a masters degree. But even when my parents were paying for it? I didnt get my nails done. Hell, I've had my nails done maybe 3 times in my life-I was probably 36 years old the fisrt time I had a mani/pedi. I didnt go to the tanning bed. Sunshine was free. I was on the meal plan at the cafeteria. Yum! No fancy dinners for me. My parents were awesome and we were a middle class family-I think they COULD have afforded to do some of those things for me-but frankly, they just werent done back then-nor did any of my friends have lifestyles now. My 15 year old dd likes to have her nails done. I've paid for it once as we were in a friends wedding. My dh has paid for the other couple of times and quite frankly I light his ass up every time he does. She is a 15 year old kid-she does not need her nails done. I find it sort of disgusting.

Where do kids go after this? After being spoiled and entitled there whole lives thinking mani/pedi's, tanning beds and such are almost like necessities? what about when they do get in the big bad world and realize that their entry level jobs must pay for rent, food, utilities-what do they do? Oh, wait-they become like my clients and get their govt assistance so they can continue in the style they are accustomed to.

I hear ya! My SD 19 works 8 hours a week, yet just got back from Vegas where she stayed at the Luxor (cha-ching) and went to a 3 day music festival that was probably about $300 for the tix ( it was EDC for those wondering, don't get me started, that is a whole other post!). She always has new clothes, has an iPhone, gets her nails done, sees every new movie the weekend it comes out, and is always going to the beach, snowboarding or other pricey activities with friends. This year instead of the dorms she is going to live in a house off campus, which her mom is paying for (with 3 guys over the age of 21, again, a whole other post).

Her BM and BM's mother are funding all of this. I don't get it. BM is not rich, just pretends she is and then bitches about how expensive everything is. BM's mother has not worked in years and BM's dad is a retired construction worker, so they're not rolling in it either. SD is learning NOTHING about how to support herself or the value of money. It's disgusting. At her age, I was living in my own apartment (paid for with my own money), working 2 jobs and taking care of myself. All by choice, because I WANTED to be on my own and not depend on anyone else.

I'm just glad DH is not funding any of this. He thinks its ridiculous that the BM let his daughter go to an extremely expensive university that no one can afford. SD was very welcome to live with us and go to the local college (for which she would have received financial aid; her mom makes too much money and she didnt qualify for a cent and was too lazy to apply for scholarships), and we would have provided a roof and food, and she would have had a decent part time job (more than 8 hours a week!) to pay for her own extras. But that wasn't good enough and BM was willing to hock her valuables, break her DH's 401k and take out a personal loan to pay for the school SD had her heart set on attending. So that's on her. I just hope she's not surprised when SD is still holding her hand out at the age of 30 and has no clue how to take care of herself. BM doesn't know how to say no and she'll never learn. I always say SD better marry well!

In my state (GA) it's called the HOPE grant. As long as you carry a "B" (I think they changed it to "C" for 2 year schools) tuition is paid for. I work very close to UGA and you'd be amazed at the kids driving better cars than us adults with jobs/benefits.

I was spoiled and stupid for a lot of college but it wasn't because of my parents. I took out $28K in student loans for my 4 years at a private university. I remember one semester when an excess hit my account, and I immediately took all of my friends out to eat for an expensive meal at a restaurant. Reality didn't hit me until 6 months after graduation when I learned that I owed $40k on the current student loan balance, and my $350/month payment was being paid as $349 interest and $1 principal. Reality hit very hard.