In a world full of entitlement-minded children -- even in this economy -- how does a responsible parent "do" Christmas?
When I was a kid, if you needed a bike you waited until Christmas. It was a huge, big deal. I was at a superstore a month or so ago and while I was looking at possible Christmas scooters for my brood, I happened upon a family looking at bikes. In fact, they were doing more than looking -- they were buying the bike. In November. Really. The little boy was "practicing" and as he unsteadily ran over my toe, I asked his parents if it was his birthday. They smiled and said "no, it's just time for a new bike." I smiled back and moved on in surprise.
Whatever happened to anticipation? What happened to earning, waiting and that sort of thing? What's left for Christmas if you buy a kid a new bike in November? If children get too much all through out the year how will they learn to appreciate the big events in life? It has been an all out effort on my and my husband's parts to keep our kids from being expectant, entitled and spoiled. With the advent of the dollar store everyone just buys and buys and forgets that a child doen't no the difference between a toy that cost a buck or one that cost more. Mine don't. We "practice" going to a store and NOT asking for anything. We actually talk about it on the way to the store. We discuss what we are going to get, how I expect them to act while we are there and how if they do a good job not asking for anything THIS time, maybe next time they will have earned a small treat. It doesn't always make sense to my kiddos but as long as I never cave to the pressure, they are starting to get it.
For the record, I loved anticipating Christmas and my birthday. I believe kids take pride in things they've "earned." And it's just my opinion, but I think we ALL need things to look forward to. Just my thoughts.
