"In effect, they grow up dissatisfied and requiring increasingly more stimulation and external reward to keep them motivated and/or satisfied," Martyn said. "Sadly, they are not truly satisfied, nor happy, in the end."

Children whose parents teach them to value relationships, to earn what they receive and to wait for a reward or sense of satisfaction are, in fact, happier, experts say.

They know entitlement is not a given; that instant gratification is a short-lived and often-unearned pleasure.

Such realizations in childhood usually create content, respectful and confident adults.

So, the next time your child insists on another ice-cream cone, demands immediate attention or simply can't wait to tear open a gift, then try giving him the gift of discipline instead.

"Entitlement-free children have the resourcefulness to get what they need and the confidence to respect the needs of others," Deerwester said.

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)