With Christmas just having passed a lot of different things are being spoken about in current times. Sure, seeing your kids excited about their toys is great but those toys never last, do they?
I recently came across an older article while looking into what things we could do other than spoiling our children with gifts and it was an article written in The Telegraph. Within this article, the writer noted having spoken to one of the leading child psychologists in Britain at the time. That being none other than Oliver James. According to James, when it comes to ‘spoiling our kids’ we should be spoiling them with experiences versus gifts.
He basically said while on the holidays we tend to spend tons of money on toys, we should be spending less on the presents and more on the presence. This meaning we should be making memories together and having fun with one another rather than merely opening up a bunch of toys and darting off into our rooms to play with them on our own. It makes sense, doesn’t it?
James told The Telegraph as follows on the topic:
“The whole business of providing material commodities for kids – in ever more expensive forms as they get older – is entirely, 100 percent, abut propping up the industry that profits from it,”
“On the other hand, family holidays are definitely valued by children, both in the moment and for long afterward in their memory. So if you’re going to spend money on something, it’s pretty clear which option makes more sense.”
“The first and simplest mistake that an awful lot of parents make is confusing what they find exciting about a holiday with what their children will.”
“So many of the ‘interesting’ things about a new place are deathly boring to the vast majority of children – high culture, for example, in almost all forms. So your child, if at all typical, will grumble at the ghastly business of being dragged around.”
This meaning we need to make sure we’re taking our kids on trips that they as kids will enjoy. For instance, if you have a very outdoor-oriented child you’re not going to want to take him or her to a museum but instead perhaps some kind of zip-lining experience. Surely that is something you grasp with ease, right?
How do you spend your holidays? Do you go on vacation with your children often or is your family a bit disconnected? Keep in mind even the cheapest vacations can still be extremely fun. A mere camping trip for the weekend could be all your child ever wanted. Be willing to do things with them that they like to do, this gives them some great memories of you and an experience they will never leave behind.
There is a lot more to this world than playing with the newest toys and your kids need to know that. Always opt for things you guys can do together when possible. Sure, buying them toys is great but overdoing it is something we should all be aware of.
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