I'm guilty of it. I always justify with the "I want to give them the life that I never had!" You too? Here's why we need to STOP spoiling our kids. 

I stumbled upon this blog that was so intriguing. I may not have given birth to a child, but I am a stepmom and love that little boy with every bit of me.

My parents are divorced and growing up I didn't get showered with gifts or trips. My mom was a stellar single parent, doing everything in her power to give us those things we so desired, but we were definitely not those kids with name brand clothes and shoes, and you better believe I was that girl that asked her dad to drop her off a block from school so my classmates didn't see our awful vehicles.

BUT what did that teach me? It made me the person I am today! I'm a bargain shopper, I budget, I don't need name brands or new clothes or shoes. I have money for trips and experiences. I got a job that made me happy even when I was making next to nothing in the beginning. I work hard and know nothing comes to me for free. But what does that mean for me as a parent?

So what is the definition of spoil?

"To harm the character of (a child) by being too lenient or indulgent."

And a lot of us are spoiling our kids without even thinking about it. Why? Because it's easier to spoil our kids to make them happy. We want happy kids! We want them to fit in. We want them to have a "better" life than ours. But we are actually turning them into monsters. "Life is not about possessions, and spoiling children with possessions teaches them it is" - my favorite quote from this article.

We've all seen it. The kids that have a temper tantrum in the store, the kid that back talks his mom and/or teachers, and the teenage girl that refuses to wear anything less than a name brand.

This article points out how not giving in now will benefit them long term. You don't have to take away all luxuries, but I know next time my kiddo is asking for something he definitely does not need, I'm going to think about these words. Next time he asks how much I'm going to pay him for vacuuming, I'll remember this article. My kid is awesome, but I want him to grow up to be an even better adult.

To read the original article, click here. 

 

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