Dutch children happiest, english/american children unhappiest

According to a UNICEF-study ..., BBC-news reports

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6360517.stm

Meh, they are just spoiled brats

So? What is this article trying to prove.

Before i know it this will start into another whos the best thread. Like that one where they said europeans were getting taller and americans shorter.

The article is trying to say that Europe is better than America. But we know who is the greatest people in the world! Yeah! Goddam it, for Chrissake! It's America! Yeehaw!

Rossiya said:

The article is trying to say that Europe is better than America. But we know who is the greatest people in the world! Yeah! Goddam it, for Chrissake! It's America! Yeehaw!

Click to expand...

AMERICA **** YEAH POWPOW COWBOYS MCDONALDS A-OK TEXAS!

But in seriousness, the articles said British kids are unhappiest. The US is a second last.

Of course the children in English-speaking countries will be unhappiest; they're learning to read and finding out that there really aren't any rules to pronunciation in this language!

It's going to be unusual for me, but I believe this study is complete BS from A to Z.
The criteria used to tro to know what makes a child happy are highly subjective. As one of the author says in the article,

He says he is not surprised by the report. "On the one hand you have objective indicators in the report like health, income and education. The Netherlands is a very rich country. On the other hand, and perhaps more importantly, are the subjective indicators, young people's own subjective sense of well-being."

Click to expand...

Come on. Be serious and scientific, will you?
Basically they have preconcieved notions about what makes a child happy, turn that into subjective criterias, and rank countries according to that.

It's all that weed maaaaaaann...

More seriously, I can kind of understand. In America, everyone is so afraid of being sued, or having their kids hurt, or having their kids grow up less than perfect, that it must make kids miserable. Look at a modern American playground - they've taken away all the 10' metal slides that I loved so much as a kid, along with almost all of the toys and playcastles and swings I loved so much. Why? "Some kid might accidentally fall off! They might *gasp* break their arm! Noooooo!" So now we have this pathetic PC plastic 2 foot tall "bubble structures." Whenever I go to a playground, all the kids look sad and bored out of their minds.

Plus, consider all of the pressure on kids to be perfect. Hell, afterschool activities and parents worrying about college in GRADE SCHOOL! "Oh no! Little Jimmy only got an A- on this test! He must have ADD! Quick, fill him full of drugs, send him to a psychiatrist, and put him in so many programs he can't even breathe without someone noticing!"

Honestly, we need to just relax and let kids be kids. So they don't like school, and prefer to run around and get dirty? So they prefer playing kickball in a muddy yard instead of all your damned organized sports teams? Let them! They're kids, that's what they do!

Meh.

American kids would be happier if they didn't have to fear being arrested for smoking pot or going beyond 1st base.

JollyRoger said:

American kids would be happier if they didn't have to fear being arrested for smoking pot or going beyond 1st base.

Click to expand...

Kids get arrested for going beyond 1st base?

leonel said:

Kids get arrested for going beyond 1st base?

Click to expand...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genarlow_Wilson

EDIT: Oh. Ummmm. Did I completely miss the sarcasm here?

And to think... baseball used to be America's national pastime!

Masquerouge said:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genarlow_Wilson

EDIT: Oh. Ummmm. Did I completely miss the sarcasm here?

Click to expand...

Im glad im not living in georgia.

Even if i didnt get that far yet. Its a terrible law that needs to be changed.

British kids like beating up each other, and filming it, and then posting it on the Internet! Great! Coolio!

You have got to be sad to do that...

Or, alternatively, you can imagine you're some black "g" and shoot another "g", for "turf". Preferably do this in South London.

You know why British children are so unhappy? Chavs. Bullies. Whatever you want to call them. It's out of hand. At school anyone who isn't a chav is a target for abuse. Alot of kids have a very miserable time at school becuas eof being bullied. I certainally didn't enjoy it till sixth form as their was such an agressive culture amongst the kids, and then even in sixth form me and otehr were still prejudiced against for being 'different'.....i.e. liking rock music, dressing in black/baggy clothes and enjoying geeky things instead of the latest trends.

Thanks a lot article! My "emo"ness is growing by the second.

ComradeDavo said:

You know why British children are so unhappy? Chavs. Bullies. Whatever you want to call them. It's out of hand. At school anyone who isn't a chav is a target for abuse. Alot of kids have a very miserable time at school becuas eof being bullied. I certainally didn't enjoy it till sixth form as their was such an agressive culture amongst the kids, and then even in sixth form me and otehr were still prejudiced against for being 'different'.....i.e. liking rock music, dressing in black/baggy clothes and enjoying geeky things instead of the latest trends.

Click to expand...

Yo, you gotta keep wid de niggas bro. Braap.

It's bad, I know, it's a very big problem. But is there a solution, or do we just wait until the gangsta crap blows over?

ComradeDavo said:

You know why British children are so unhappy? Chavs. Bullies. Whatever you want to call them. It's out of hand. At school anyone who isn't a chav is a target for abuse. Alot of kids have a very miserable time at school becuas eof being bullied. I certainally didn't enjoy it till sixth form as their was such an agressive culture amongst the kids, and then even in sixth form me and otehr were still prejudiced against for being 'different'.....i.e. liking rock music, dressing in black/baggy clothes and enjoying geeky things instead of the latest trends.

Click to expand...

Why is it a British-specific problem, though? I remember being in French Junior High (age 10-14) and going through bad times because my clothes were not the most fashionable, and because I was good at school...

Masquerouge said:

It's going to be unusual for me, but I believe this study is complete BS from A to Z.
The criteria used to tro to know what makes a child happy are highly subjective. As one of the author says in the article,


Come on. Be serious and scientific, will you?
Basically they have preconcieved notions about what makes a child happy, turn that into subjective criterias, and rank countries according to that.

Click to expand...

I firmly disagree with you. I've much more trust in what the children themself say than in 'objective criteria'. How do you measure a bad atmospheer in a family, for example. How do you measure childabuse, except asking the child?

I'm sure according to objective criteria i should have been a happy child but i was the opposite.

What a pointless study.