110%. I believe that the change in the family unit has alot to do with it. When I was growing up, single parents were by far the minority. I, along with most of my friends had moms that were home with us all day. They were there when we came home from school, watched over us like hawks. Wasn't easy to get away with stuff. Our parents knew where we were, what we did, taught us respect. You didn't dare come home and say you got in trouble in school because you'd get your ass kicked. We were middle class. We didn't have things handed to us. We had to work towards something we wanted, we had to deserve it and appreciate it.
Things are different today. Having one parent at home with their kids is a luxury not many have. Whether due to single parent homes or both parents working in order to survive (or keep up with the Jones) the family unit is not the same. Some don't have the time, others put their own wants and needs before their childrens. No discipline at home, let the teachers worry about it.
We also want to give our children things that we couldn't have when we were kids. I think we give them too much. Just because we can, doesn't mean we should. How do you appreciate something you get too easily.