5 Stories of Spoiled Children Who Learned a Lesson

The kids in these stories thought privilege meant they could get away with anything, but they soon got a reality check. The result: their silver-spooned, spoiled attitudes were replaced with journeys of growth.

Children can sometimes become spoiled due to excessive privileges, leading them to behave in a rude and entitled manner. It is in these moments that significant lessons become crucial.

That's what happened with the pampered younglings in these stories, who got a taste of life's humble pie and learned their lessons in humility. But how did that happen? Let's find out through their stories.

1. My Spoiled Son Dared to Mock a Stewardess When I Had Been Watching Him

I'm Steve, and I'm a businessman. One day, my family and I were at the airport.

As I watched my seventeen-year-old son Andrew head toward the boarding gate, I felt a mix of concern and hope.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" my wife asked, echoing my thoughts.

"Of course, Andrew will be okay," I reassured her, though I had my doubts. "I hope this new school can teach him some humility."

"But what if they treat him badly in the dorms?" my wife asked. "He's never been to boarding school before."

"That's exactly the point," I replied firmly. Andrew had become spoiled, and it was high time he learned some tough life lessons.

Months later, Andrew was returning home for the holidays after his first semester. I knew he hadn't enjoyed his time at boarding school, but I hoped it had been a learning experience. Little did I know I would be disappointed.

On the flight, Andrew's behavior was deplorable. He disrespected a flight attendant, throwing peanuts at her and demanding better snacks with a sneer.

I saw he slapped the pretzel she offered him out of her hand. "I don't want a pretzel, you dumb woman!" he yelled at her in front of everyone.

The flight attendant recoiled, tears forming in her eyes. "Peanuts and pretzels are the only snacks we serve on this flight, sir," she replied tremblingly.

"They're pathetic, just like you." Andrew spat at her. "Go and fetch me a proper snack, now!"

Right then, an elderly passenger tried to intervene. "How dare you talk to her like that?" she said as she rose from her seat across the aisle and put a hand on the flight attendant's arm.

"If she did her job, then I wouldn't have to!" Andrew pointed at the flight attendant. "She's a servant and a bad one too!"

The flight attendant burst into tears, and the female passenger tried to comfort her. I was aghast.

"Somebody ought to give you a hiding, young man!" The elderly passenger in the seat next to Andrew scowled at him.

"I agree." Somebody placed a hand on his shoulder.

Now, here comes the twist: I was on the same flight, returning from a business trip, but Andrew had no clue. Initially, I had no idea what the commotion was about because I was engrossed in my laptop.

But witnessing Andrew's behavior firsthand made me realize it was high time I confronted him right there. So, I called him out for his bad behavior. He turned around at my voice and was shocked, his face pale.

"Dad, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"Flying home," I answered angrily. "You better apologize to this young lady and the other passengers now!" I ordered him.

Reluctantly, Andrew mumbled an apology. But even at this point, he didn't feel genuinely sorry. I could feel it. Knowing he didn't understand the gravity of his actions, I was determined to teach him.

Once home, I took him straight to my office. "This ends now," I declared. Despite his protests, I made it clear that his privileged life was about to change drastically.

"You won't be going back to that school," I told him. "You're going to a public school and spending your holidays working."

"Working?" he asked, thinking I meant a position at my company.

"Yes," I assured him with a small smile. "You're going to work as a janitor in my cleaning company."

His horror was palpable, but I was resolute. I took away his bank cards, computer, car, phone, and even his branded clothes. It was time he mended his ways.

The next day, Andrew started his job at the airport as an employee of my cleaning company. He struggled with the tasks and clashed with his supervisor.

His supervisor was an elderly and kind lady named Martha. She has been with my company for years and is pretty strict about training her juniors, so I knew she would be the perfect supervisor for Andrew.

When she told me how things unfolded at the airport, I was sad because Andrew is my son, and I know things were tough for him. But at the same time, I was glad because he needed to learn a lesson in respect.

The thing was, Andrew knew nothing about cleaning. Martha told me how she stupidly laughed at him because he didn't even know how to sweep or mop.

Andrew was rude again. He shouted at her for laughing at him and threatened to get her fired.

"No, you won't get me fired," she told him. "Your father warned me about you, now get to work. These floors don't clean themselves."

Andrew sighed and started sweeping. He was clumsy, and Martha teased him about it. He got angry, but there was nothing he could do about it.

He was cleaning the trash cans when something hit him. He turned and saw that somebody had thrown an empty takeaway carton at him.

"Hey!" Andrew shouted at the man who'd thrown the carton. "How dare you throw that at me!"

The man ignored him, so Andrew ran after him and grabbed his arm.

"I'm talking to you," he said.

The man shook Andrew off so hard that he fell to the ground. "Get your filthy hands off me, you dirty janitor!"

Andrew watched the man walk away in shock. Was this how it felt to be treated like you didn't matter? he thought. He really didn't like the way he was being treated. He looked around just as somebody kicked him.

"Get out of the way, you lazy bum." The woman who'd kicked him sneered at him. "I'm going to report you for sleeping on the job!"

At that moment, Andrew understood what I had been trying to teach him. He knew now how much it hurt to be mistreated by people who thought they were better than you.

That day, while Andrew was sitting in a corner after his cleaning duties, reflecting on his actions, he suddenly saw the flight attendant he'd been rude to and hurried across to her.

"I'm so sorry," he said when he reached her. "I treated you so badly."

The woman was surprised to see him, but she smiled when he apologized.

"I'm glad you see that now," she said.

I was so glad I took this step. I had hoped this experience would mark a turning point for Andrew. And I can assure you it did.

My son has learned that everyone and all jobs deserve to be respected. My experience is also a lesson for all the parents out there — sometimes, you need to teach children a lesson the hard way.

2. My Son Mocked a Grocery Packer's Child, So I Ensured He Learned about Our Humble Roots

I'm a lawyer by profession. When I held my son in my hands for the first time, I never imagined I'd have to teach that gentle being some hard lessons about life. I imagined he'd be naturally sweet, loving, and kind.

I'd forgotten that sometimes children can be cruel and that it is our job as parents to guide them and shape their characters so they become good, caring people.

One afternoon, I wrapped up work early and decided to pick up my 12-year-old son from school and spend some time with him. I'd just been through a grueling six-month trial, and I wanted some quality time with my family.

I parked my car and walked over to the school gates. The bell rang, and immediately, an avalanche of children poured out. A few minutes later, I spotted my son. He was standing with some friends and talking to another boy I didn't know.

I heard him say: "Just because you're at this school doesn't mean you're worth anything! You're a loser like your dad, the grocery packer, and you always will be!"

I was stunned. His cruel words echoed in my ears and woke bitter memories from my own past. I took two steps forward and called him, "Sean!" My son turned and saw me and grinned.

"Dad!" he cried and ran towards me. "Hey, is the trial over? Did you win?" I looked at his bright, happy face, then I looked beyond him at the tear-filled eyes of the boy he had been humiliating.

"What did I hear you say to that boy, Sean?" I asked him.

"Oh, him? Please! He's nothing! He's a scholarship student."

"Ah..." I said softly, "which means he's so intelligent and gifted he gets to come to this school for free, while I pay $50,000 a year so you can attend."

My son colored and looked up at me, startled. He'd never heard my 'court' voice before. "I-I-I guess..." he stammered.

"And what were you saying to him?" I asked.

"Look, I was just saying... He's never... I mean, his dad is a grocery packer at some grocery store, a real loser, you know?"

"A loser? Why is he a loser?" I asked.

I could see that Sean was worried about the direction the conversation was taking. "He's a grocery packer! He's nothing, he's not important! He's obviously not good enough for anything else!"

"Really, Sean? Is that what you really think?" I asked him sadly.

"Yeah...I mean, he's not like you!" Sean answered.

"Son, maybe you need to know a little more about me," I told him. "Come on."

I took my son to the neighborhood I'd grown up in and showed him the tall, dingy buildings with narrow hallways and dirty windows. "I grew up here, Sean; I went to that school. It was all your grandfather could afford."

"Grandpa?" asked Sean in surprise. "But Grandpa is the cleverest man I know. He knows EVERYTHING!"

"Grandpa was a garbage man, Sean," I told him. "He never had the chance to finish high school because his dad died, and he had to help his mother take care of his brothers and sisters.

"And he did. No one ever went hungry, and his little brothers and sisters finished high school and got good jobs. Then he met Grandma, and I was born. Your Grandpa swore I'd get the opportunity he never had.

"So he worked 16-hour days, and he got me into a private school, then into college, and if I'm a successful man today, I owe it all to your grandfather, do you understand?"

"Wow, Dad," Sean said, "he was amazing."

"Yes, he was, and I was proud of him. But you know what? When I was at that fancy school, some of my classmates mocked me, called my dad the garbage man.

"And the worse part is that for just one second, I was ashamed of him, of that amazing man who was sacrificing himself for me. I never forgave those boys, and I never forgave myself for the shame I felt."

"It wasn't your fault, dad!" Sean cried indignantly. "Just because some jerks..." and then he stopped, and his eyes widened as he realized what he'd done. "I did that to Jimmy, didn't I, Dad?"

"Yes," I said quietly, "you did, and unfortunately, you took something from him you can never give back."

Sean had tears in his eyes. "Dad, I'll apologize. I'll make it up to him..."

"Yes, you will, and for the next six weekends, you're going to be packing groceries at the grocery store so you can learn what work feels like."

Sean apologized to Jimmy, and even though they never became friends, my son did respect him, and the other boys followed my son's example and learned to treat him fairly.

As for Sean, he learned that any work a man does to feed his family has dignity and worth, no matter what it is. That is a lesson worth learning.

3. Classmates Mocked My Daughter for Sweeping Streets, Soon They Regretted It

I'm Annika, a single mother who worked as a janitor. I never had the chance to introduce my daughter Jenny to her father, so it's always been just the two of us.

One day, when Jenny was six, I came home with a heavy heart. My arthritis was worsening, making it harder to work as a janitor and clean the streets all day.

"It's getting tough for me, sweetheart," I confessed to Jenny.

"Do you need to see a doctor, mom?" she asked, concern etching her young face.

I shook my head, explaining that I'd have to reduce my working hours, which meant less income. "We'll need to save money," I told her.

I could see the wheels turning in Jenny's mind. She suggested helping me at work, believing that we could manage the same workload together or even more. But I couldn't allow it. "You need to focus on school, Jenny," I insisted.

However, reality struck hard in the following days. My condition made it impossible to cope alone. Reluctantly, I agreed to let Jenny help me after school.

My baby girl was used to doing household chores, so this was nothing new for her. Tough times sometimes compel you to become more responsible.

Every day, Jenny joined me on the streets, sweeping with a vigor that belied her age. She made the job more bearable by singing songs from her favorite singer, a woman who had risen from humble beginnings to stardom.

Jenny had her posters all over her room. She idolized her and drew inspiration from her rags-to-riches story. Like the singer, Jenny believed she would reach her dreams one day.

One afternoon, Jenny's classmate saw her sweeping the street. She took a video and shared it with her friends. The next day, a group of young girls flocked to the streets to make fun of Jenny.

"Janitor Mom, Janitor daughter! Samesies!" one girl cried out, pointing at her.

"Why do you even study, Jenny? You don't have to be smart to sweep the streets," another girl mocked.

Jenny could hear their insults, but she paid them no attention. Instead, she continued to hum her favorite song while sweeping.

Irritated that Jenny wasn't paying attention to them, the group of girls took photos and videos of Jenny and posted them on social media. "Our classmate is a street sweeper!" they wrote in the caption of their post.

While the girls expected others to laugh at Jenny with them, they were surprised to see that the post went viral. Thousands of people shared our story, writing words of support and raising money to help us.

A week after the post went viral, good samaritans reached out, wanting to help Jenny and me. An anonymous donor gave me a year's worth of treatment and maintenance medicine for my arthritis, and in no time, we had a bank account filled with donations for their daily expenses.

I have always taught my daughter the value of hard work, so while I continued to recover, thanks to the donations we received, Jenny still helped me sweep the streets until I could finally do it on my own again.

However, Jenny's classmates did not stop teasing her and would follow her to the streets every day. One day, as they were throwing insults at Jenny, a black SUV with tinted windows stopped near them. A beautiful woman stepped out of the car, and without a second look, Jenny squealed as she saw her favorite singer.

"It's you! It's really you!" Jenny said, jumping for joy.

"Hello, sweetheart. I wanted to pay you a visit in person, and I was happy to see my schedule freed up today, so I made my way here," the kind woman said.

"You are my hero! I love you so much!" Jenny said in tears.

"No, Jenny. You are my hero. When I saw those videos of you sweeping while singing my songs, I couldn't help but let you know that you are an inspiration to many and that we are rooting for you and your mom to succeed in life," the singer told Jenny, embracing her as she spoke.

"When you have time, I'm giving you backstage access to my concert. Here is my phone number. Call me whenever you and your mom want to come to one of my shows," the artist said.

Jenny's classmates were shocked. They, too, idolized the singer, yet she paid no attention to them. The celebrity's eyes were fixed on only Jenny, making them red with envy.

Apart from showing up to meet Jenny in person, the celebrity also paid for my treatment and maintenance medicine in full. So, all of the monetary donations that Jenny and I received online could be used for other things.

I decided to use the money to finish paying for the apartment we lived in. Once that was settled and the title was under our name, I quit my job as a street sweeper and put up my own small business – a neighborhood confectionery that all the kids and adults alike loved to visit.

Through my experience, I learned two very important things: All jobs deserve respect, and kindness still exists in this cruel world.

4. Little Brats Mocked a Poor Boy, I Offered Them Scoops of Kindness

Hello, I'm John, and I used to be an ice cream seller. One day, I met a little boy who taught me there's no happiness like helping those in need.

So what happened was that one evening, as I was about to close the ice cream shop, I noticed this young boy hesitantly approaching me. His name was Peter, and he had only a couple of coins in his hand.

"Can I please have something for this? Any flavor of ice cream would do," he asked with a hopeful look as he showed me his money.

Looking at the meager amount, I felt a pang of sympathy for him, but I had to be practical. "Is that all you got on you, boy? Note even $2?" I asked. His nod confirmed my suspicion.

"I'm sorry, but you can't get anything for that price. Besides, it's about closing time, so come back tomorrow with enough money, alright?"

His plea, "Please, no. I–I NEED it. Can you please get me something? Anything?" tugged at my heartstrings, but I had to follow the rules.

"Look, kid, it won't be possible! Now, move," I said, shooing him away. I closed the shop and would've left immediately, but then I noticed something.

Some boys eating ice cream began taunting Peter for his inability to afford it.

"Hey, would you like to have my ice cream? I just licked it twice. It's a great deal for just $2!" one said with a cruel laugh.

"I don't understand why guttersnipes like him are allowed to shop in the same stores as the rest of us. Why don't you go back to your poor neighborhood and buy ice cream from a poor vendor?" another kid joined him.

Their cruel words and laughter echoed in my ears, but I was powerless to intervene directly. My boss was strict about freebies. With a heavy heart, I left.

Walking home, I stumbled upon Peter again, this time with a small girl, Lincy. I overheard their conversation, Peter apologizing for not being able to buy ice cream and promising a grand birthday next time. Lincy's disappointment was evident.

"I'm sorry, Lincy," he said. "The money mom gave us wasn't enough for ice cream, but I promise I will get you some the next time. Your next birthday will be very grand."

But Lincy wouldn't buy Peter's explanation. "I really wanted the ice cream, Peter," she said, teary-eyed. "You promised me you would get it for me!"

"I'm sorry," Peter hung his head, embarrassed. "Let's go home. Mom must be waiting for us."

When I was a kid, my family lived hand to mouth and could barely afford one meal a day. When I told my older brother, Dylan, how hungry I was after eating that one meal, Dylan took up a part-time job at a diner to ensure I never slept hungry.

Dylan's boss back then was a nasty man who would scold and even hit him if he made a mistake, but Dylan didn't quit the job since he had promised me I would never go hungry again.

When I saw those two kids and realized how similar their circumstances were to mine, I couldn't fight back the tears. I had to help them. So I wiped my tears, took a deep breath, and approached the children.

"Oh, it's you!" I said to Peter. "Aren't you the same boy who visited my store a while ago?"

Peter's response was cautious and tinged with bitterness. "Yes, and you said you couldn't give me anything, so why are you wasting your time now? We're leaving–"

"Oh, boy," I faked a laugh, "didn't I tell you to come tomorrow? Wait, I guess you got me wrong. I meant you can come to my store tomorrow, and I will treat you to ice cream. That's what I meant!"

Lincy was excited. "Yes! We can have ice cream tomorrow, Peter! Yay!" She began jumping in delight.

I could see Peter's confusion. After all, I'd told him to come to my store only if he had enough money. So I took Peter to the side and whispered in his ears, "Just come tomorrow. There's a small surprise for you and your little sister."

I could see the look of pure, innocent happiness on their faces when they came to my shop the following day. I had decorated the store with balloons and planned to give them a tour of the shop.

We made ice cream together, and I treated them to various flavors for free. The joy on their faces was priceless.

"You are doing an incredible job as a big brother," I told Peter while Lincy was busy devouring a strawberry ice cream. "You should be proud of yourself."

As the kids finished their ice cream and were leaving, I gave them an ice cream tub. "Enjoy some with your family, too, and come back for more!" I told them. I was so happy. Everything was great.

But just then, the kids who had mocked Peter returned to the store. They were shocked when they saw Peter holding a big tub of ice cream.

"Did you beg for it?" One of the boys smirked at Peter. "We know you can never afford it, loser!"

At that point, I decided to intervene.

"And what makes you say that?" I yelled at the boys. "HE IS A SPECIAL VISITOR. He deserved it, so he got it, and you boys clearly don't deserve to get treated to something nice after mocking someone, so get lost. I AM NOT GIVING ANYTHING TO YOU BRATS!" I declared.

Then, I turned to Peter. "Go home, Peter," I said. "Your mom must be waiting for you."

Peter waved goodbye and went home happily with Lincy. The other boys looked ashamed and shocked, but I had no sympathy for them. They deserved it.

Deep down, I also knew I'd face scrutiny from my boss for providing free ice cream to Peter and Lincy, but I already had a plan to avoid it. I decided to cover the cost of the free ice cream myself.

After all, there's nothing like the happiness of helping someone in need and brightening their day. That night, I went home with a light heart, knowing I had made a small yet significant difference in two innocent lives.

5. I Helped a Bullied Boy and Used a Knitted Jersey to Teach the Mean Kids a Lesson

As a teacher, I've always been keenly aware of the dynamics in my classroom. So when I noticed that one of my students, Brian, got bullied, I had to do something.

Now, I know the kids who mocked Brian deserved to be taught a lesson, but I was going to adopt a calm approach to it.

After Captain Man's movie debuted in the cinemas around our town, everyone seemed to catch the frenzy of attempting to look like the crime-busting superhero.

Brian was no different. Captain Man was his favorite hero, and there was no counting how many times the boy had watched the new movie.

The hype around it quickly led to the creation of Captain Man costumes mandated to be sold by the corporation behind the franchise. It was a little expensive, but anyone who loved the Captain was ready to deal with the consequences.

The trend was even more in vogue within the school premises because the kids wanted to show off their cool superhero outfits. One month after the movie was released, everyone in his class had the superhero jersey except Brian. I know the boy lived with his granny, who only got by on her pension.

This meant that they did not have money to waste on frivolities like the jersey. Nevertheless, Brian decided he would attempt to get his granny to buy him the costume.

"I can't know until I try. That's what momma used to say," he told himself as he made his way home one afternoon.

When he arrived home, he met his granny, tending her small garden.

"Gran," he began. "I was wondering if you could spare me some money? There's this superhero jersey I want to buy."

"Oh, my dear child, we both know I can't afford to spend money so recklessly," his grandmother said, patting his head as she passed him.

Brian was unhappy for the rest of that day, and his granny noticed this. It made her feel sorry for not being able to provide him with all his needs.

Not one to wallow in self-pity, the old woman decided she would make her grandson happy by making him a jersey anyway.

To that end, she stayed up all night knitting, and by the time Brian woke the following morning, she presented him with the gift.

It looked like a fuzzy ripoff of the original jersey, but Brian did not tell his granny that; he simply thanked her for the gift and threw it on to make her feel happy.

He wore it to school that day, but he began to regret that when the other students started making fun of him. Everywhere he went, there seemed to be a snicker or stifled laughter following him until he felt very unhappy.

The last straw was pulled when Brian ran into a girl he had always liked, and she laughed in his face.

"What are you wearing?" she had asked.

It made him very sad, so he quickly left and ran all the way home with tears in his eyes.

Determined to make a difference, I decided to act. That weekend, I visited Brian's home while he was out. I had a plan to help him feel accepted and valued. After speaking with his grandmother, I left, but not before he caught a glimpse of me leaving as he returned home on his bike.

"That must be my imagination," Brian thought. "Mr. Barton doesn't live around here."

The next day at school, I wore a surprise — a knitted jersey identical to the one Brian's grandmother had made for him. I waited in the classroom, excited about my plan to turn the tables for Brian.

He entered the classroom, head down, expecting the usual taunts, but the room was silent. When he finally looked up and saw me in the same knitted jersey, his expression was one of disbelief and relief.

"Who is this, I see? This is my partner! Let's take a picture with our cool jersey partner!" I exclaimed.

The impact was immediate and positive. The students, who had once mocked Brian, now admired the jersey. Many even apologized to him, and his crush gave him a smile and a wave.

Soon, parents were calling Brian's grandmother, asking her to knit jerseys for their kids, too. They offered her money, allowing her to start a small business.

The highlight for me came when I learned that Brian, wearing his special jersey, got to meet Captain Man at an amusement park.

Using a part of the money she made by selling knitted sweaters was how Brian's grandmother could afford to take him to the amusement park.

I couldn't have been happier for him. Seeing Brian with his superhero, the joy in his eyes, was a reminder of why I love teaching — the ability to make a real difference in a child's life.

That day, as much as any other, I realized the power of empathy and kindness. Brian's experience and the role I played in changing it was a lesson I'd carry with me always.

Well, the responsible and clever adults in these stories took charge to ensure that the once-spoiled children in the tales above learned that life's richest lessons often come wrapped in challenges, not in privilege. Their journeys remind us that true growth begins where entitlement ends. Do you have such a story, too?

Tell us what you think about these stories, and share them with your friends.

If you enjoyed reading these, you might also enjoy reading about some bold people who canceled their own weddings. They decided 'I don't' would be better than 'I do.' You can find the full story here.

Would you also like to share your story with us? It could brighten someone's day! If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.

Note: These pieces are inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only.