Do you ever feel down because you aren't able to buy your child a lot of things?

As a parent, it's just so natural that we want to be able to give everything that our child wants but a child has to also learn that in order to get something a sacrifice must be made otherwise what he gets won't be appreciated. If it's easy for a child to get whatever he wants then the things that he gets won't matter to him because it's so easy for him to get it. Something would be more meaningful if you have to get it with much work and sacrifice. Otherwise those things would just gather dust under his bed.

Yes, I do. But I make sure that she has all the things she needs. It's okay don't feel guilty about it. As long as you play with your child it is the most important. Your time is more important than the toys. Make sure you have plenty of it so you will see him grow. Don't you think that both of them full time at work so most of their time goes to work. Do they still have time to see their child? Aren't you happy that you have more time with your kid? Toys are not as essential as time. Moreover, you are teaching your child the values of contentment. Your child will grow contented of what he has and simplicity. You are also teaching your child to be creative. Like making some cars out of a carton I don't know something like that. Looks pathetic but the values instill in it is unmeasurable. Kids also learn from playing outside. It's okay Dominique, your child has not lose his value as a kid. cheer up girl. go go mom

I used to worry about the same thing and as bad as the kids wanted certain things that I couldn't give them. I would always tell them to let everyone know that they wanted this item for Christmas or a Birthday and if it was something expensive, I would tell them to ask for cash so they could save up for what ever it was. There are things that they asked for over and over and over again and my daughter has a daughter of her own now and the only thing she still remembers that she really wanted and never got was a Barbie Jeep and she had asked for one for 3 or 4 years. A lot of things they wanted and they got, they don't have anymore. The two older ones wanted Furbies (they're back now) and I remember how hard it was to get them, but they ended up with them. My daughter says hers "freaked her out" so she drowned it in the pond and my son said his scared him so he put it in a burn barrel and burned it. Sometimes the things they want are just passing phases and hardly worth getting them. The best memories they have aren't things that they got, but things that we did, watching movies at home on Friday nights with pizza. Playing board games. Dancing in the kitchen and the garage. I do know that when I was working excessive hours and had the money to buy them stuff that they wanted but didn't need, it was more out of guilt than anything else. I just really felt bad because sometimes I couldn't spend the extra time with them that I wanted to.

Yes, I have felt like this plenty of times. I have 6 boys all together. My older three are from my first marriage and they are ages 23, 22 & 18. My ex was never around and I raised them on my own. Most of the time I worked two jobs but I still barely made ends meet. They were certainly not spoiled. I am now remarried and I have 3 more boys ages 3 and twin 1 year olds. We have not gotten them anything for Christmas at all. We have relied on family to buy all of their gifts for the past 3 years. It makes me feel really bad. I am not sure that this Christmas is going to be any better. I have seen so many great deals but I can never act on them because we can't afford it.

I grew up in an average family. My parents gave me all the things that I need. And I am very much grateful for the hardwork they had to go through just for me and my siblings to get through College. Unfortunately, although my in law are the ones sending all my 4 kids to school, I could not give a life to my kids just the way that I had. I can feel that there were times they are envious of their cousin's things, but really, I could not afford to buy them those thing. And so I would just buy them something similar that is less expensive just so they wouldn't feel left out. It pains me not to be able to provide for them well. Sometimes, I'd be furiously mad if I hear them saying that, why do others get what they want while they don't? I try to teach them the value of money and also tell them that not all they want, they need. And I just often tell them to do good in school so that when they graduate from College they would find a good-paying job and then they could buy whatever they want.

I don't have any child yet. But I've been down these past few days because I wasn't able to buy the thing that I really wanted. And it really makes me upset until now. :)

Kids don't need a bunch of stuff, and things needn't be expensive to be valuable to a child. Think back to your own childhood. How many toys do you distinctly remember? The playthings that I remember the most fondly (my mother still has most of my toys--either with her or in storage--but I haven't actually seen many of them in years) were inexpensive. A few were secondhand. You set the tone for your household. How your daughter sees your financial situation depends on the tone you are setting. While you want to be able to provide more stuff for your daughter, where is the line? You make X dollars per year more than you do now, and you will find that the line moves to expand with your expanded income. Work toward improving your family's financial security, but don't ever lose sight of the fact that more stuff does not equal a happier childhood.

I do feel that there are lots of things that I would love to buy my children.There are also lots of things that I would love to see my child do as well as have and one of those things would have been a holiday. But saying all that they also need other things like a roof over their heads, food, clothes, love and many more things and they should always come first no matter what.

Hi Dominique, I remember when my children were small, I use to feel the same way,,I always wanted better for my children than I could affore...But I tell you this as long as you show you child love and do things with him and give him something every now and them, they will be fine.....Its more of the feeling on you than your child I am sure..Just do the very best you can and your child will love you like you were a millionaire. He does not know the difference as lond as he is happy....

Im lucky.. my son never really expected a whole lot. And never was angry about what we gave him. He knows we did our best for him always.

I do feel like that sometimes. I hate when my kids ask me for something, even something small and I don't have the extra money to get it for them. The kids don't really get a lot of extra stuff throughout the year. Christmas and Birthdays is really when they get the things that they may want. It still hurts my heart a little bit sometimes when I can't afford to buy them a small toy that they may want or a new game. I know how that feels and it sucks!

I have this same problem. I always see the cutest toys and outfits that I'd like to get for my daughter, but I never have the money to do so. I hope that I'm able to find some type of work before Christmas time because this year will be her first Christmas and I want it to be special for her (even though she's only 7 months old). I'm currently a Stay At Home Mom and my boyfriend works but with our bills and everything, we just can't afford extra things right now. If I find a job, I can only work certain hours because my mother will be my daughter's babysitter and she works odd hours. So it's difficult right now.

You can't buy LOVE but this is one of the most important thing. How about discipline? If we teach them discipline,they will treasure this for the rest of their live and they will thank us in the future of what who they become. I don't buy my son a lot of toys. I did that one time and he's just becoming a brat whenever we go to the store he would grab one toy and never put it back to the shelves. So that means I have to buy him that. When we got home, he would play it one time and Ignore it the next day. So I realized I am not only wasting money also I am not teaching my son a good value. So I taught him how he will treasure his toy. I didn't buy him whenever we go to the store and Ignore him even if he cry (he's only 2 and half year old). I want him to value all toys that he got for now and if he deserves it, I will buy him a toy. Right now he likes Thomas the train and that his favorite. Since Christmas is coming maybe I can buy him another collection of Thomas and his friends train set. Don't feel so bad. When I was a child, I only have 1 toy and a doll but I learned to value it and it last for 10 years. I want to pass that value to my son. There's so much important than that than toys. Its our love and care, most important of all. Have a blessed day