Has anyone ever watched the series “My Sweet Sixteen” on MTV? I have watched it several times but, the absurdity of it all made me so sick that I vowed to stop watching it. If you haven't seen it then suffice to say sweet sixteen's are no longer sweet affairs with cake and punch. The cake is now just how much money you can make your parents spend and the punch is whether you will get a BMW or Hummer. Of course, parties like this wouldn't dare begin with a card invitation. How else could you invite people to your sweet sixteen, but by giving them all MP3 players.
A massive building must be rented out. Who would dare have a party at home, right? Of course, you cant arrive at the party in anything less than a Bentley. Then, it isn't chic unless you change outfits at least five times during the party and of course, each must be designer and consist of just enough fabric not to be confused with a playboy party. With all of this, you would think they could entertain themselves, but oh no you have to have a famous rapper come and then hire acrobats, fire dancers, dwarfs, transvestites, etc to entertain. And it just wouldn't be a sweet sixteen unless a sixty thousand dollar car awaits for the brand new driver. Total average price tag for a “real” sweet sixteen party….around 300,000 dollars.
What is wrong with the parents of these children? I am only 28. So, I don't feel I am out of touch with the times. I was raised in an affluent family, but if I asked my parents to spend 1/8 of what these parents are spending I would have been taken to church and spent my birthday handing out food to the homeless for the day. I was taught the value of money, privilege, and how to be humble. My parents could have easily bought me any car I desired. However, I was given a hand me down for my first car. They taught me to value what I had, whether new or old, expensive or inexpensive.
I wasn't given a credit card and told to shop till I drop. I was given a set amount of money and I could choose if I wanted two pair of designer jeans for the season or six pairs of less expensive jeans. The lessons of life my parents taught me prepared me for the real world and independence. Whereas , the lessons these sweet sixteen parents are teaching their children are ones that lead to irresponsibility, dependence on others, and lavish lifestyles that are more than often unobtainable and unsustainable. Then we wonder why Britney Spears flipped out, Lindsey Lohan is in rehab so often, Paris Hilton thinks she is above the law, and Hanna Montana thinks its okay to strip to her underwear on the Internet.
And don't think this is just a one time affair that is just a special occasion. Prom has become the second sweet sixteen. Parents are spending thousands on prom dresses and suits, renting out entire hotels, chartering private jets to carry the kids to lavish prom after parties, renting all stretch whatevers to get them to prom, buying jewels, alcohol, and God knows what else to ensure a “euphoric” prom. Some schools are having to cancel proms because of the extravagance of it all. One school canceled prom entirely after there was a competition as to “who could have the best prom” got out of hand and hundreds of thousands of dollars were involved by a particular group of students. Remember parents are the ones funding these outlandish shows of lavish overkill and immoral behavior.
