| Holiday Spending: Do Children Get Too Much These Days? |
By: Jane Irwin, Alternative Family Columnist
On 12/24/05
Ok, so the gifts have been given and the turkey remnants are still lurking in the refrigerator. Maybe the kids got what they wanted, maybe they didn’t. But one thing's for sure, the Holiday season is becoming more and more commercial.
| "My parents have never been materially driven and I'm thankful to have received some contrast to the encroaching commercial world." |
Last year alone, Americans spent $835 billion on festive gifts - a significant portion of which went on credit cards. Nowadays, children want computers, cell phones, designer labels and any other must have gadget that hits the market. Are we spoiling them by surrendering to market forces, or simply keeping up with the times?
At some point it seems we all turn into our parents. I remember my mom telling me she only got oranges and apples for Christmas, as I hugged the new Cindy doll I got for Christmas. We weren't rich, but we had more than my mom had ever dreamed off. But even she wasn't strong enough to stop the commercial current riding over her humble memories. I don't remember a single year when we only had a basket of fruit under the tree. Invariably, we all change with the times, but when does it become too much?
We're all familiar with the barrage of cell phone commercials throughout the season of good spending. “Whatever you do, don't make the mistake of going out without cell phone, and don’t let your kids do it either. Why not get a family plan? After all it'll save you money in the long run, right? “
The fact that so many kids have cell phones is a coup d’etat for wireless phone companies. Given that the average plan is $30 a month, how do children foot the bill? Part-time job, pocket money, gift cards? Either way the fact remains that the cell phone is a must-have for kids - in spite of the uncertainty surrounding radiation.
My sister deliberated for years before giving in to the pressure of the cell phone era. Initially, my nieces were only allowed pre-paid devices and had to cover the call costs out of the set allowance. But what else can you do when all of their friends have one? No parent wants to label their kid as the odd ball of the group.
Another commercial hit is the designer fashion label. It's not about quality, or even taste in some cases, it's about having the label that fits the moment. It's true that I had brand fads growing up when I wanted to be cool and part of the in in-crowd. But I don't remember my preferred choice costing that much more than the not so congenial alternative.
Nowadays, the elusive and largely unknown brands of my youth are ubiquitous - Gucci, Burberry, Tommy Hillfiger to name but a few; and they've morphed into almost viable street versions.
So, given the plethora of retail temptations, how do we keep our children from consuming everything and anything that becomes trendy, and get the balance right between getting them what they want without overindulging?
Learning to say no is a start but getting kids to appreciate the concept of money is no easy task. One thing is for sure: you can't substitute discipline, love and time with gifts - no matter how expensive. We all remember the kid at school that had everything money could buy and not much else.
My parents have never been materially driven and I'm thankful to have received some contrast to the encroaching commercial world. Every Christmas, all my Dad ever wanted was a new pair of slippers and some new socks. And no matter how inventive or expensive the presents became, every year he would say they same thing: "Why are you wasting your money, I don't need that." And into the re-gifting closet the fancy gifts would go, never to be seen again.
As for me? Well, I have a good lifestyle and probably too many gadgets and material things lying around the house. I also have my background to put things in to perspective, and re-enforce the alternative set of values I learned growing up. Although, I do worry how, as a parent, I'll be able to get the balance right and not give in to too much commercial temptation - especially during the festive frenzy that pulls us in, and makes us lose sight of our bank balance.
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