Many parents feel that they need to buy their kids an expensive gift especially on a Christmas morning. This is a tough habit to break, but it's not the best way to teach your children how money works. 

 

This blog post will discuss why you should limit gifting your children and what you can do instead!

 

The harm of too many gifts:

 

Leads to Low Self-Esteem

Believe it or not, too many gifts can lead to low self-esteem. When a child is given one gift after another, their brain remembers that they don't have much value on their own, and this can leave them feeling worse about themselves when the gifts stop coming in. 

 

Children can attach gifts with their worth, and when they eventually stop coming, it can be hard for them to get over the feeling that they still don't have anything worthwhile.

 

Causes Greed

Gifting too many gifts can also lead to a sense of entitlement with children and an increase in greediness. Children will start expecting more and more from their parents because they get so many gifts. 

 

It can also make them jealous of other kids who might only have one or two gifts on Christmas morning.

 

Robs Children of Lasting Happiness

Additionally, too many gifts can rob children of any lasting happiness. When they are opening their last gift and don't feel the excitement from before, they might start to wonder when it will happen again- which leads them right back into that low self-esteem mindset. 

 

They also won't have anything special from Christmas morning because there was just too much.

 

Leads to No Financial Responsibility

If your children are constantly getting gifts from you, they might not have any sense of financial responsibility when it comes to their own money. They will be used to the idea that someone will buy them anything so they won't learn how much things cost or why some people can only afford one gift on Christmas morning.

 

Promotes Materialism

Too many gifts will also promote materialism. Children can start to believe that more stuff will make them happy, and it's hard for a child to get over this mindset when excessive presents surround them.

 

Creates a Sense of Entitlement

Toys can also create a sense of entitlement in children and make them think that they deserve everything. When it's Christmas morning, there are so many new toys to play with- but when the day is over, and all the excitement fades away- this feeling might not go away too.

 

Encourages Children to be Ungrateful and Spoiled

Too many gifts can also cause children to be ungrateful and spoiled. When they are constantly getting new toys, clothes, or food- it's hard for them not to get used to this lifestyle.

 

What you can do instead:

 

Encourage Self-Esteem Building

Would you please encourage your child to be grateful and appreciative of the things they already have? Focus on rewarding them for their excellent behaviors or just being nice to others- not on what's under the tree. 

 

You can also find simple ways, like cooking dinner together as a family every night, that teach kids about responsibility without making it seem like a chore.

 

Set Up Rules for Gifts

If you want to gift your child, set up some rules to make it more of a responsibility. For example, you can set up a rule that you will only buy valuable items in the long run. This can be books, drinking bottles, pens and others. You can get such items from https://www.dynamicgift.com.au/ which also come in handy as promotional tools for your business. 

 

Encourage Self-Motivation

If you don't want your kid to feel entitled and spoiled on Christmas morning, focus more on boosting their motivation and confidence from within. This can go a long way in building excellent life skills in the long run. 

 

Encourage Your Child to Give Back

If your child gets a new toy, instead of just opening it and never playing with it again- encourage them to donate the toy so someone who doesn't have one can get some joy out of it too. You could also give gifts during the year not wrapped or at least teach them about the true meaning of Christmas.

 

Encourage a Sense of Gratitude in Your Child

The best thing you can do for your child is to encourage them to be grateful and appreciative of what they already have- not focus on what more material things they could get. Children need encouragement from everyone around them, so make sure that there are plenty of reminders in your home every day about how much you love them and that they are appreciated.

 

Focus on the Relationship Between You and Your Child

Instead of giving them an endless amount of stuff- focus on what they need instead. Then, spend time with them and have some family bonding activities together!

 

Limit Gift-Giving

Perhaps, the best way to teach your child how money works is by limiting the number of gifts they receive. Set a budget and then only give them one or two presents on Christmas morning- after that, ensure Santa doesn’t visit you often to avoid doing more harm to their development.

 

Teach Financial Responsibility

Give your kids an allowance every week for chores that they did well- this eliminates the need for them to ask you constantly for money. When they start asking where their allowance went- talk about the importance of saving up and not spending all their money on things that don't last forever, like candy or toys.

 

Encourage Them to Record Their Spending

If you want your child to learn about budgeting, encourage them to track their spending with a journal or some app. Teach them how much things cost and the differences between wants vs needs so they can start developing this skill early on.

 

Learn to Say No

If your kids are constantly asking for a new toy and you don't want to spoil them- then it's time they learn how to say no. Teach them that the best thing is not always what other people tell them, but instead listening inside themselves first. Then, when they start saying yes to every temptation or desire, teach them self-control and focus on praising them when they do this.

 

Let Them Do Chores for Gifting

If you want to give your kids a gift- but don't have any means of paying for it- then let them do some chores to get the money. Teach them about what they can and cannot afford and how working hard will help pay off that toy or video game if they still really want something after all their work.

 

Avoid Bringing Them for Shopping Too Often

If you want to teach your children about the value of money- then avoid bringing them with you to stores too often. Instead, letting them see how much things cost and making a budget when they are still young is an essential lesson in life that will benefit them throughout adulthood.

 

Talk About Those Who Live Differently

The best way to teach your children about generosity and empathy is by talking with them about those who live in different circumstances. Teach them that they have been blessed with a lot, even if it's just the roof over their head or food on their plate. 

 

Helping others should always be an essential part of life for them, whether donating to charity or simply helping someone struggling in the street.

 

In conclusion, children do not need more gifts- but instead, they want to feel loved. By teaching them about their self-worth and that it's okay to say no- you will help reduce the amount of stress in your household for everyone involved.