How does the materialistic content of your kids life compare to yours when young

Lazybike – Member
My kids have loads more stuff than I ever had, and yes it was bought by me. I like to think my parents bought me what they could afford, and thats what I do for mine. We just have more disposable income. now

This.

In addition, my daughter also gets to experience things that my parents would have thought simply outlandish e.g. White Water Rafting. I’ve worked hard to earn the money I have – I don’t see that I should limit my daughter to what I had as a child.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently – purposely haven’t clicked on this thread either (until now).

Recently, I saw a pic of a lad on Christmas morning circa 1981, either here or on Facebook – in his bed wearing a football scarf and hat, Etchasketch box in the background and Action Man box in the foreground. He looked happy as Larry.

I remember similar xmas’and birthdays when you got exactly what you wanted (except the bastard never had eagle-eyes), even if you never knew you wanted it….

So yes, I think kids get too much now – if extra disposable income exists, it comes at the expense of our society in general.

It was the last Christmas cracker. We were surrounded by all the ‘indulgences’ that have been discussed here. My grandaughter(4yrs. old)won the ‘snap’.
‘It’s a dice!’, she yelled with great excitement, then ran round the room showing everyone.
She then went to the toy cupboard and dragged out the tattered remains of last years ‘Snakes & Ladders’.
The dog had evidently eaten the original, and all she was waiting for was a replacement!
Much fun ensued! 😀

Good thread. I’ve got a couple of kids. My son (alomst 7) is terribly ungrateful of anything i try to do for him, buy him etc. This is pretty much the case with whatever. I’m pretty sure it’s a personality thing as our daughter isn’t as bad. From a very young age our son always ‘expected’ things and rarely acted with gratitude when recieving gifts etc.

I recently built him, as a father/son project an (if i do say myself) amazing tree house. I thought he’d love this as i used to have an old door nailed in a tree by my dad, so obviously i thought that this would be well recieved. Nope! my lad’s an arse, nothing is good enough for him, time spent with him, trips out etc…. He doesn’t really appreciate what he’s got or cares how much it costs (not that i think he could comprehend this at his age anyway) I think to the OP you should be grateful for what you have (in terms of her attitude etc) and the rest will follow, once she has to buy stuff for her own kids.

But yer kids today have more stuff than you did. But then so do you, a wahing machine cost like a months wages, a car a years wages etc…. do you appreciate your car/washing machine as much as your folks did, i doubt it.

Feel free to over-compensate for your own childhoods. 😉

A lad who used to work for us historically enjoyed a decent wage. Had a years unemployment and just before Christmas told me he was going to borrow £2000 for presents to give his son a great christmas. He couldn’t even afford tyres for his car ffs.

he was going to borrow £2000 for presents

jesus.

My Dad says kids today are raised to know the price of everything and the value of nothing. Hopefully we’re bringing up our two girls to know the difference between the two and that value and monetary worth aren’t related…

I was gobsmacked trust me. He was genuinely disgusted when I said I didn’t really bother with presents and probably wouldn’t if I had a kid (pre-horajnr). He said no matter what his son wouldn’t suffer and would know happiness.

He had to catch the bus into work as he couldn’t afford two new tyres (illegal) FFS. Incidently on the car that he couldnt afford to pay the finance on (Audi convertible).

You don’t have to over-compensate for any inadequacies in your own past. Yes you may earn the money but why not just give your son/daughter a balanced viewpoint of the world where they don’t expect to receive the latest gadget every year?

How difficult would it be when they want the same later on and take on credit to buy? Would you then feel like you’ve failed in someway?

He said no matter what his son wouldn’t suffer and would know happiness.

FFS. If you think that happiness comes from money then something’s wrong isn’t it?

Not sure about mini-hora but we found that it seems to be that kids will often like the cheapest / naffest things (inverse taste to parents) – ie. despite being given some expensive presents and toys over xmas my two daughters favourite toys are still the box of second-hand, slightly battered barbies that my wife’s cousin gave them.

There is something you can give your child that money can not buy – your time.

Our little lad who’s three was spoilt this xmas. We put a stocking in his room with a small Thomas engine in it and a watch which he has been wanting with an apple and a tangerine but he also had a huge pile of pressies downstairs from the grandfolks, including a drum kit, guitar and chugginton train set.

He opened his stocking presents and was chuffed to bits. I think he would have been happy with just that as he didn’t really bother with the bigger toys. I think the grandfolks may have a bit of a present war going on as they tend to be buying bigger and bigger things.

Just need to find somewhere to put everything now….

What annoys me in respect of this debate (and many similar), is that yes I’ve admitted I spoil my little girl (a little bit, but this differs IMO from her being ‘spoilt’) and she admittedly has some nice material possessions, none of it is by any means excessive IMO though.

The people who seem all too ready to steam in with their opinions on excess, indulgence and general ruin caused to pampered kids, seem to think that whatever level they personally set as acceptable is the defining line between good and bad that should seemingly be applied to everyone else.

There is something you can give your child that money can not buy – your time

Amen.

Was that ever in question though?

Personally I can’t be arsed with mine. If she wants to play, cuddle, talk, or partake in social activities, I usually have something more important to do, such as post on STW

The world stops revolving unless a group of nerds somewhere expends energy posting on forums..

Hollywood tells us what heroes are however we know, deep down that we are the true (internet) heroes.