mom hot take: my children will have EVERYTHING..
this topic can be taken out of context so quickly. JUST because my children have everything doesn’t mean they’re spoiled. but things come with INTENTION. or EARNED. it’s not everything, anytime. it can be birthdays, milestones, rewards for effort, or just-because gifts tied to love, not bribery.
when they get something, i teach them to say thank you, care for it, and appreciate it. gratitude keeps abundance from turning into entitlement. i let them help earn or contribute. even young kids can do small chores or save part of an allowance before getting a big item. That connects desire with effort.
you must remind them, that not everyone has the same. and you can encourage them with generosity by donating toys or giving forward. abundance isn’t the same as no boundaries. If every “I want” is an automatic yes, that’s when entitlement forms. sometimes a “not today” or “let’s wait for your birthday” teaches patience.
for parents who came from nothing, giving your kids material things can feel healing! like you’re rewriting your own childhood. and that’s not bad. things become spoiling when they replace lessons. if you give and teach, then it’s just generosity paired with wisdom.
you can give your child a room full of toys, but if you also give them gratitude, perspective, and responsibility, they won’t grow up spoiled. they’ll grow up secure and thankful.
#momhottakes #lemon8challenge #momconfession #parentyourself #momlife
When parents choose to give their children many things, especially when coming from backgrounds of scarcity, it’s natural to want to provide abundance as a way to rewrite their own childhood limitations. However, as the article emphasizes, giving everything without intention can easily be mistaken for spoiling. To avoid this, it’s crucial to combine generosity with teaching valuable life skills. In practice, parents can integrate lessons of patience and earning rewards even at a young age. Small chores or saving a portion of an allowance before receiving gifts help children understand the connection between effort and reward. This practice instills a strong work ethic and promotes a healthy appreciation for what they receive. Acknowledging that not everyone shares the same privileges encourages empathy and generosity. Teaching children to donate toys or share with others nurtures a spirit of giving forward and counters any budding entitlement. Setting boundaries with responses like "not today" or "let’s wait for your birthday" helps children build patience and realize that gratification is not always immediate. The key is that abundance doesn’t mean limitless yeses; it means providing thoughtfully with an underpinning of guidance and gratitude. For parents and children alike, this approach can transform possessions from mere objects into meaningful representations of love and responsibility. As a result, children grow up feeling secure, thankful, and prepared to contribute thoughtfully to the world around them.
I think this is beautiful ❤️