Radio Commentary
How
can parents draw the line for their children in our materialistic culture, and
teach them the values of thrift and common sense?
There are several good approaches.
One mother makes her children use
their own money, from allowance or chores, to buy the toys or goods that they
pressure her to buy.
She
said: “I find my children don’t always
want it if they have to pay for it.”
Another good idea is to involve
children at an early age in the family’s charitable acts.
When it comes to school items, it
sometimes helps to set a budget and let children get whatever they want within
that budget.
Even if they would rather have one
pair of jeans with a big brand-name label and stick with their frayed T-shirts,
they’re learning to make choices about what money can buy.
It’s also important that parents be
flexible. Maybe you can give in to your
children on one less expensive fashion item — such as pencils that look like
they’re made out of denim, which cost a little more than the basic No. 2
variety of pencil.
But in return, you could stick to your guns if
you are being begged for fancy shoes.
There are no hard-and-fast rules
when it comes to teaching values.
The
best advice, always, is to live by the values you want your children to have.
