Just say no.
Always giving in to your kid’s materialistic desires doesn’t do her any favors. Say no to unending whims and consumer demands, and do so without feeling guilty. Just explain why it’s important not to be overly focused on stuff, and don’t give in when she persists. Expect resistance, and even tantrums, and remember that consistency is crucial for success.
Limit TV commercials.
Raising kids in a world where television ads implore children to buy, buy, buy doesn’t help. But past research shows where kids’ TV viewing had been cut by one-third, they were 70 percent less likely than their peers to have asked parents for a toy the previous week. So monitor your kids’ TV time, steer their viewing habits toward public television or just turn off the TV.
Spend more time than money.
Spending a disproportionate amount of time taking your kids shopping only reinforces rampant consumerism. Make a conscious effort to spend time together doing things that don’t cost a dime. Go to the park. Tour a museum. Take bike rides. Bake cookies. Watch clouds together. Play board games. Show your kid the alternative to a consumeristic life.
Boost self-esteem.
A University of Minnesota study found that the more materialistic kids are, the lower their self-esteem. Owning all those clothes and electronics actually diminishes kids’ self-regard by sending the superficial message that their identity is what they have, not who they are. The researchers also found that giving well-earned compliments that focus on inner qualities — such as that you’re “kind,” “helpful” or “fun” — successfully reduced tween-aged kids’ materialistic tendencies.
Stress giving.
Hands-on giving, instead of always receiving, helps counter materialism more powerfully than almost anything else. Take your kids to bring dinner to a lonely neighbor, volunteer in a soup kitchen or go to an assisted living home to play games with the elderly. Then point out your child’s charitable gestures, so that he realizes the impact of his no-cost deeds: “Grandma loved your painting much more than anything you might have bought. She knew it came straight from your heart.”
Model restraint.
You’re the best role model for helping your child cope with our complicated material world. So what kind of example are you setting? Would your child say that you demonstrate the concept that it’s not what you own but who you are that matters? Research finds that parents who are materialistic raise the most materialistic kids. So be the nonmaterialistic model you want your kids to copy.
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6 Ways to Help Kids Combat Materialism originally appeared on usnews.com
