I HATE money. I hate that having it is a necessity in order to live. I hate that people compare their money influx with one another (in an unspoken manner, of course). I disagree with discussions, complaints, or comparisons with others who have more money being topics of conversation. While I believe in open communication with people, I don't believe in saying you don't have enough money to do something. Wrong. You just choose to spend the money you do have in a different manner. Children shouldn't feel the tightness of a budget. When you take them to a store, I don't think they should know that what they get is all dependent on how much everything is. They show you what they like and then you (as a parent) make the decision as to what you are going to give them. It's a surprise and they won't know what they got until they open it.
2 comments:
A couple ideas:
1) I don't think it's possible, with any love in your heart, not to love (and therefore like) your kid. And I agree that a lot of people have kids out of a feeling of obligation--particulraly LDS--because we know God wants us to. I'm definitely one of those. That said, I'm thrilled to have my kids. And yeah, we definitely have hard times (read: tantrums, runny noses, diahhrea, wanting more alone time with my spouse). Still worth it. I guess if you're trying to do what's right, you'll be enamored with your kid--it's designed that way.
and 2) I knew my parents didn't have a ton of money, compared to my friends, while I was growing up. While that was a bummer, I don't think it had a bad influence on me. I worked during high school, paid for a lot of my college expenses, and I'm the frugal one in my marriage because of my background. I have an "is this really necessary?" mentality with spending that helps me be careful. I budget pretty well, but I still need to work on how to save. And the budgeting doesn't limit my occasional splurging happiness: I got a pair of American Eagle jeans for $15 last night from Plato's Closet and was thrilled!
Good point Mere. I think the most important thing is to let children feel like they have some control and can make choices. My kids love earning money and being able to pick out something for themselves.
Did you go back to DC? Any updates?
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