It really is amazing to see what parents spend on their kids.. It’s not surprising how effective marketing to children is.. because they’re easier to lure in, and their strength over the parents purchasing decisions is pretty overwhelming, especially if the parents have any guilt about their parenting skills.
My parents really never bought me any toys or fashionable clothes and for the most part I wasn’t interested.. I believe this is because I stayed away from TV..
How did my parents facjilitate this? The way they did it was relatively hands off.. when I was about 2 years old they bought a house on an acre next to a 100 acre park.. They didnt have to worry about their me taking much of an interest in television.. Is it anywonder why kids would take to consumerism and TV brain food if they are tied up in a tiny condo with a 10sq ft patch of grass for them to play in?
I bet most parents here, by virtue of less population, had alot more space to play in when they were kids…
Having that park and land to play on a kid I believe shaped my personality more than anything… I am friendly to animals and nature and am also pretty succcessful at 26.. I attribute it to being outside as a kid, building stuff, catching animals, doing yardwork and exploring. So if parents want to consider their kids in the buying of a house, I give land and parks the highest mark for enriching children…
Hopefully that doesn’t sound like I’m giving parenting advice.. because coming from a 26 year old virgin, you might not want to listen!