by Euphraise Sneed

Created on: January 17, 2011

Is Buying Your Child’s Affection Really a Good Idea?

Most of us as parents want to do everything we possibly can to ensure the fact that our children love us, but we need to decide is that momentary affection we receive from the gift of an item true love, or simply the joy of being given that next big ticket, well advertised new thing? It is so east now days, with all the media and hype to become drawn into the thought of giving our children all that technology of today offers. Is this really the way we want our children to mature? Are we sending the proper message to our children, that buying the next thing that is popular is the way to go through life? Should we instill the practice of delving money out of pocket is how to achieve wants and desires?

Let us stop to consider for a moment one of the possibilities of encouraging the thought in a child that every time he or she wants something, he or she should merely purchase the item solely because it is a wanted item. The strongest pain I instantly feel is the desperation of a young adult that is about to be in financial ruin. Choices made those first few, crucial years of leaving the nest and taking care of one’s self has a lasting effect on people. Sometimes those effects last a life time. Choices made in those early years can hinder credit options later in life. This can be devastating when our children decide to embark upon a family of their own. When we make it a habit to give our child everything he or she claims to want for the moment, we are sending the message “if you want it, just get it”. With that line of thinking instilled into a young mind, responsibilities soon become unimportant. This can lead to a young adult deciding to buy that wanted new gamming console instead of paying his or her rent. Soon, other financial obligations fall behind. All of this falls on his or her credit. This prevents certain job promotions, which in turn make it harder to regain financial control. This leads to poor credit and a host of unpaid financial obligations when he or she has that first child of his or her own. This starts a brand new life off without the financial security a baby needs. This allows that new mom or dad to be forced to decide if the next purchase should be the new movie that just came out or a bottle of pain reliever for the baby that is cutting teeth.

Guiding a child to believe he or she should receive all things when they are wanted is a good way to raise a selfish child. A selfish child grows into a selfish adult. A selfish adult has difficulty allowing room in his or her own life for others, including his or her own children. I believe this to be one of the main reasons we have so many grandparents raising grandchildren in our world today.

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