Spoiler Alert: Instant G

It goes like this: I buy Tickle Monster for Leighton to give to her at Christmas ... and I read it to her that night. What the? I find a nice toy for St. Nick ... and I unwrap it the second it's delivered. Makes sense. 

I have a Gymboree coupon and the next thing I know, Leighton has the entire Daddy's Little Night Owl line complete with matching tops, onesies, pants, leggings, dress, jumper, sweaters, hat, bib, blanket, socks and fruffle. Utter necessities.

I get it from my mother. Growing up as an only child with my parents was no less than amazing. They raised an independent thinker, fully equipped with confidence, common sense, deductive reasoning, razor wit and a tendency to buy it in all three colors when she can't settle on just one. I could need all three at some point.

After college, my mom told me that I had better go to law school and get a good job so that I would be able to afford myself. How right she was. Still, I am able to own a home, shop like a champ and save money simultaneously. For that I am ridiculously grateful.

I don't just love to shop. To shop sounds so lame and perfunctory, as if shopping were the simple act of procuring goods.  It's more than that. It's the thrill of a bargain and the instantaneous gratification spurred on by the acquisition - THE INSTANT G. I have a particular talent for achieving instant g. And so I share it, and the exhilaration it brings, with all of you.

We perpetually purge our belongings - ebaying and donating where appropriate. But, deep down, I would secretly like to live more simply. And we will start ... just as soon is Leighton is old enough to understand the fine art/trap of consumerism. Or maybe I won't be able to change at all.

I get it. Little girls, teens and women are marketed to more than ferociously than anyone. Moreover, I have no delusions about what material goods really do for the soul - nothing. In fact, spoiling a child can cause bad behavior, from whining to tantrums to bankruptcy. Still, we live in a world with stuff and I figure that if we manage to raise Lei with confidence, common sense, deductive reasoning and razor sharp wit, she too will have no trouble navigating commercial terrain.

Thoughts? Can you really spoil a child with presents or is it a combination of factors? Post to comments and share your fuss with us!

Comments

[Lisa]

I'd say it you can spoil a child with presents if your child learns to feel entitled to them, rather than learning gratitude and thankfulness.