Parents who are financially well-off know of this problem. Their children grow up with all the best things in life provided for them. Then, you begin to notice that they are becoming lazy. The feel entitled. They expect everything to be handed to them.

To avoid this nightmare, here are a few tips you might want to follow to prevent your child from being spoiled.

1. Always provide for them what they need, not necessarily what they want. There is a difference between want and need. An example of a want would be "I want to go out with my friends and I need money." A need would be, "I need money for a book for a class at school." Now, the child can get the two confused and say they need something when they actually only want it, or vice versa. Here are some clues to help you in deciding whether something is a want or a need.

• If it has to do with their health, it's a need (for example, I need a ride to the doctor's office)
• If it has to do with their education, it's a need (for example, I need help on a school project)
• If it has to do with their social life, it is a want (for example, I need a new pair of shoes because all of my friends have it)
• If it has to do with their basic necessities (i.e. food clothing and shelter) it is a need (for example, I need a new pair of shoes, because my old ones have a hole in it)

2. Teach your child how to do things on his/her own. Money will only get your child so far in life. If he/she can't learn basic skills they while their young, it will be harder for them to learn them later on in life. Not to mention, that if something were to happen to all that money (s)he has grown so used to, (s)he will not be able to take care of him/herself. So, teach your child how to cook, drive and fill out a job application while they are young. So, that they will have those skills later on in life. Typing would be another good skill to have. When your child moves out on his/her own, it would be a good idea to have them buy their own apartment or home. You can take a look and give your opinion, but let him/her make those kinds of decisions on his/her own so that (s)he is not always running home to mom and/or dad whenever a big decision needs to be made.

3. Give your suggestions, but don't make their decisions for them. There are certain things in life that people have to decide for themselves. Some of those things are, your major in college, who to marry, what kind of career you want. These are decisions a person has to live with for the rest of his/her life. If Mom or Dad make that decision for you, it's a sign of a bigger problem. Lack of independence. After a certain age parents need to cut the umbilical cord and let a child make his or her own decisions. If you don't, the child will forever be indecisive and needy. And after all, you won't be around forever. You have to teach your child how to live on his/her own early on so that they will not be struggling once you are gone.

Those are the tips for you to live by to keep your child from being spoiled. Good luck raising a happy, healthy, and well-balanced individual!