How Do You Teach Children To Appreciate What They Have?

Often, parents who have had a difficult childhood do everything they can to ensure that the same does not happen to their children.

They therefore make the mistake of giving them too many gifts “so that they will not lack anything”, when the best thing to do is to make them aware of the value of material things, and of our comparative possessions. to that of our desires.

Some parents walk past a window, enter the store, buy a beautiful toy, and bring it home full of illusions so that their child ultimately does not give the gift the slightest importance.

He continues to do what he was doing as if nothing had happened, which often comes down to using his cell phone, tablet, or computer.

At first, this can disillusion parents, or even lead them to be overcome with sadness, because they worked hard to be able to buy this toy, which their child ultimately failed to appreciate.

It is therefore up to parents, as adults, to teach him to realize the sacrifices that this implies, as well as to make him appreciate what is offered to him.

This does not mean, however, that children should work from an early age, but rather that they should be shown that in life “nothing falls from the sky but rain”, and that in order to get whatever they want, they will have to make an effort.

Such remarks may seem strong in the eyes of a child of the age of a schoolboy, but for all that, we will do him a great service if we manage to make him internalize these few principles.

Most of the time, parents do not realize that their children are unaware of the difficulty that it could have been to earn the money necessary to purchase these gifts, etc.

If you are in a good financial situation, there is nothing worse than getting your children used to getting whatever they want. Indeed, under such conditions, they will never be aware of the fact that life can sometimes be hard, and that the easy financial situation of today can be complicated tomorrow.

If things do get complicated financially, how do you get children to understand that you can’t buy them that trendy toy, video game, or cell phone?

Teach children to appreciate what they have

So that our children are aware of the cost of things from an early age and that they do not become machines to ask for something new every day, it would be good:

– That they have a responsibility at home. From the age of three, the child can already participate a little in household chores and assume a certain type of responsibility, no matter how small.

Initially, we will not let him put away the glasses or wash the windows, but he can, for example, bring his own laundry to his room.

As time passes, they can be assigned new tasks, adapted to the abilities they have developed.

The best thing to do if one wants to reinforce this type of behavior is not to offer his child material rewards, but rather words and social recognition, so that he can feel proud  of himself.

– That you do not buy them everything they ask. The commercials aimed at children, which appear on television, are designed to generate desire in them.

In fact, toys are presented as fantastic devices which generate distraction and amusement. Finally, if you want to give your child a gift that corresponds to one of their wishes, you better wait a bit.

Take your time to “meet demand”; thus, you will know if your child really wants it, or if it is on the contrary a simple whim to be bought a toy.

Do not try to show your affection for your child by buying things for him; but act like any parent would, ie with time and affection.

Establish a budget. When the kids are already a little older, and therefore able to understand money, let them help you manage the money around the house.

In addition, if you can (and if they deserve it), give them a periodic pay, so that they get used to managing their own resources… not being inexhaustible.

Finally, don’t make the mistake of saying “my children never lack for anything”, because money and gifts don’t buy happiness.

Remember one thing: “where there is too much, something is missing. What is too much cannot replace what is lacking ”.