Are kids (and even adults) too "soft" these days?

I think that every generation has had these complaints.

A lot of kids and adults are too soft. There are two women at work where I can't give a word of correction, even with the utmost kindness and sugarcoating, without them bursting into tears.

I think people have gotten way too soft. Kids have become so sheltered these days from everything. You can't do this because that will happen, you can't go here because this will happen. People like to say that there are so many more issues and bad things happening today than in yesteryear, so we need to be so protective. Honestly, though, I don't believe anything going on is necessarily new. I believe a lot of bad things that happen these days have always happened, it's just that technology has advanced so much that we hear about -everything- that happens within minutes. We have so much more access to the information of what goes on that it's caused this heightened state of paranoia that has led to an increase in coddling which has led to an overall softening of society.

To some extent people have gotten softer, but that's a good thing. Between the overcrowding and decrease in number of jobs that are primarily physical, a more empathetic and friendly population would be good. That said, there is definitely going too far, and hopefully the age of being PC is fading

I don't think you can lump a whole generation that way. Also if it is a whole generation of kids that are soft, then blaming the kids is probably not helpful, as it would be more of a product of culture and how kids are raised than the kids themselves. In my personal opinion I think in every generation some people are "soft" and some are not. I feel like so many people are quick to point out what's "wrong" with the youth instead of encouraging them and helping them.

I'm also not so convinced that being a "hard ass" is better than being "soft". Empathy and sensitivity ARE important, people that are hard can lose sight of that.

To an extent, yes, kids and parents have gotten soft, and in ways this effects the child's ability to go out on their own and do their own things. I wouldn't say it's poor parenting, but it definitely has an effect.

All you use to hear about was how to increase a child's 'self-esteem' now the problem is the kids have too much self-esteem. They're shocked when you question their lies (because apparently their parents don't dare challenge them) and have a huge self-worth in spite of the fact that they have accomplished little or nothing up to this point in their lives.

Soft parents make for soft kids. Discipline can be hard to do right. I feel bad for today's parents - because they were not parented and therefore have no examples to work from. The kids think the whole world revolves around them - this just makes teacher's jobs more difficult and opens them up to huge disappointment when they finally learn that they are for the most part simply average citizens in an often hostile world.

I think kids are fine

Fine

What is soft?? And what is wrong with that? I was a strange child. I alone made it difficult to make friends and ostrasized myself because I liked myself more than I could believe I could be comfortable with other people. Maybe I was wrong, but while it was hard on me, being "soft" and strange made my life so unique and comfortable to me I wouldn't trade it for the world. I am me because I was and am soft. I don't hate people, I don't pick fights, and I very rarely complain about anyone. I get annoyed at objects, but the only person I hold accountable for years of softness is myself. I am strong because I'm a cuddly little lamb in person clothes. I'm okay with this.

It seems to me that too many people aren't letting children be children any longer. They're expected to grow up fast, handle things like a grown up and are not allowed to express their emotions. There's a fine line between allowing a child to be taught and disciplined, forced to grow up and only be punished, and allowed to act however they would like and get away with everything.

I don't think this is a topic that everyone will agree on. I teach my children. They aren't punished, they are disciplined so that they learn from their actions. Everything is explained out to them so that they understand what they did wrong and are more likely to not do it again because they understand the reason.

They are given the chance to explain their feelings and tell me why they are upset for whatever reason. Children have feelings and sometimes it's hard for them to understand how to deal with them. They have the right to feel and should be given the chance to express their feelings. Trying to make a child 'tough' often results in a person who has a difficult time with their emotions and can become depressed and angry. This isn't the case for everyone, but allowing a child to express their feelings gives them more of an opportunity to learn from them and deal with their emotions better later in life.

I have three daughters, they each are their own person and it's my job to help them to develop into beautiful women who know how to handle themselves in a mature and respectable manner. That starts now. Giving them room to be who they are while still instructing them to understand the difference between right and wrong is going to help them learn how to deal with anything that life throws their way.

My children get scratches and bumps and bruises. They might cry for a second because it hurts, but they also know that all they have to do, is brush themselves off and get a hug and kiss from Mommy and it's all better. They know that they can depend on me whenever they need, but they also have the ability to move forward. They understand that words can hurt, and fighting back will only result in negative things. I'm teaching my daughters that people aren't always going to be nice to them, but it doesn't give them a reason to seek revenge. That might seem like they're soft, but I think it makes them understand the way life works much more. People aren't always going to be nice, we can't control what others do. We are only responsible for ourselves and our own actions and it's our job to be respectful people, no matter how others treat us.

It's not always a matter of being 'soft', a lot of times it's a matter of understanding and expression. My children will probably be picked on, most kids are. But they are equipped with the tools that help them understand that they can be confident in themselves despite what others might say.

I'm not a perfect parent, but my children are highly praised from strangers and family alike for their respect, manners, attitudes, and helpfulness. They are confident children who are genuinely 'good'. They know right from wrong, and though they aren't perfect and make mistakes, they have been given the tools to learn from it.

My children know that they can come to me and talk to me about anything. Sometimes there will be a consequence for their behavior, but more times than not, it's easily resolved by discussing the issue and figuring out a way to resolve it. Punishment doesn't teach anything other than fear of authorities; but discipline teaches that there's a positive and negative way to handle things, and the outcome will either be positive or negative based on the way they've handled themselves.

Adults, I see it far too often. Parents aren't teaching their children anything because it's easier to give in than to instruct them on how to handle an issue. It makes me sad because in the long run, their children are going to be negatively effected as a result of that behavior. It's the parent's job to effectively teach their child how to deal with life, not to allow them to do and act however they want because it's easier. To me, it's not so much about the parent being 'soft' as it is the parent being 'lazy'.

These are just my thoughts and how I do things. I'm not saying that I get everything right, this is just my experience.

I teach high school, and I get kids who can't read past a 2nd or 3rd grade level. They've gotten to high school that way because they aren't allowed to be retained more than once or studies claim it will hurt their self esteem. I think not being able to read hurts a kids self esteem. Some kids are soft. Some aren't. I think when society decides that they all are it hurts the population as a whole. At the same time, however, the word soft could probably use a bit of defining. There are plenty of things that make some kids I teach "hard" that I wouldn't wish on anyone.

I think they are fine right now. It depends on what is going on around them.

Too soft