Without a doubt, our children are such precious little beings. They add that special something that enriches our lives, but when they start to want everything that catches their eyes it can get somewhat stressful. Here are some tips for parents to help avoid these particularly difficult and often expensive episodes.
Don’t think of it as cute behaviour. It’s very easy for doting parents to fall into this way of thinking. When a child is young and they throw a temper tantrum over a toy in the store, we see it as a phase and label it cute. Worse still, most parents will give into their child’s demands in order to pacify them.
Children learn quickly. A child that discovers they can get what they want by acting up will do so again and again. This is how you train your children to get what they want by causing a scene. Setting them on this course only makes it harder to break the habit as they age.
Give them an allowance. Children naturally think that our money is also their money, and to a certain extent they are right. We provide for their well-being by purchasing food and clothing. We pay the mortgage so that they have a roof over their heads. But this doesn’t entitle them to act like we have unlimited supplies of money to spend on their desires.
An allowance gives kids something they never had before: their own money. A child that understands money will be fascinated. As the money grows from week to week, share with them how saving money allows them to afford toys that they buy for themselves.
Watch your spending habits. Children mimic what they see. If their parents buy everything that they want, the child will likely want to do the same. When your children are old enough, include them in the family budget. Convene a family meeting once a month to discuss the financial picture.
Explaining how saving works in their favor gives kids a head start in the money game. Explaining to kids that parents also have to save for things they want and for family vacations, gives them a better understanding of family finances. Money really doesn’t grow on trees.
Teach a life lesson. Kids will want things. They learn how to share and not be greedy from you. Teach them the lesson of “less expensive” early on in their lives. When their allowance is small, take your kids to the dollar store for their money-spending excursions.
Television commercials prompt kids to ask about the latest toys and games. Don’t try to distract them by saying, “We will see about it later.” Kids will take that as an affirmative answer. Instead, offer the idea of putting that toy on their Christmas or birthday wish list. Even better, encourage them to save and buy it with their own money.
Your children are a blank slate and will learn to behave in the manner that you teach. When they’re very young, it’s only natural that they’ll become upset when they don’t get what they want, but it’s your responsibility as the parent to guide them and teach them the real value of money.
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