By Staff
This is the time of the year we hear the “I wants.”
With every catalog received in the mail and television commercials, the pleas of “I want this and I want that” are heard in every household across America.
According the Michigan State University Extension service, “The average American child is exposed to 40 hours of commercial messages every week.”
Is it hard to not give in to your children's every whim and buy them brand name clothes, the latest electronic games and other new “can't live without” gadgets.
Some amount of wanting to give your children more than you had is natural and appropriate during the holiday season.
What you don't need to do is feel inadequate if you are unable to afford their every wish. If you do have the resources, overspending to make sure their every want is fulfilled is also not a good idea.
In contest entries received by the Center for a New American Dream, children responded by saying what they really wanted was time and attention of their parents.
The family isn't dead, though it may seem like it when what used to be dinner time around the kitchen table has turned into fast food on the way to a sporting event.
Activities which bring your family together can be found which are inexpensive, but will bring lasting memories.
Time can't be replaced with a purchased video game. Give generously this year and the rewards will be great.