'But Everyone Has One!'
If you're tired of hearing your kids beg and nag about what they want to buy-or what they want you to buy-you'll appreciate Nathan Dungan's comments in Prodigal Sons & Material Girls: How Not to Be Your Child's ATM.
In today's possession-crazed
society, the average child has unrealistic expectations about
money-and expensive taste, writes Dungan. Convinced that
American kids lack a sense of financial responsibility and that
even preschoolers are being led astray by what he calls a
"three-headed monster" of consumer products companies, media
conglomerates and advertising agencies, he asks parents to
compare the marketing that is targeting children today with
what the parents experienced at the same age.
Besides identifying how he believes marketing is exploiting kids and distorting the difference between needs and wants, Dungan recommends that you teach your kids to analyze marketing messages. This can be a game: for example, when you're watching a 30-minute television program, count the product placements (the brand-name items being used by actors), logos, promotional messages superimposed on the screen and advertising with the ending credit lines. For older kids, try "Name That Ploy:" analyze each billboard, magazine ad or broadcast commercial for messages such as:
- The "cool" factor. If you buy this, you too will be popular, have fun and look good.
- Bandwagon. Everyone who's anyone uses this product. If you don't buy it, you might as well stamp "uncool" on yourself.
- Celebrity testimonial. I'm a superstar and I love this, so you will, too.
- Emotion. Buy this product and you'll feel happy (or confident or secure or loved).
- Expert testimonial. I'm the expert and I'm telling you, this is what you need.
Other techniques to alert your kids to: repetition (if you see the name or hear the message enough times, you'll eventually buy) and slogans (a catchy phrase is memorable).
However, Dungan also asks parents if they are modeling overspending and undersaving with such questions as:
- Have you ever lived beyond your means to try to achieve higher status with your peers?
- If you reviewed your savings history with your grandparents, what would they say?
- Do you justify spending more time at work because it allows you to spend more?
- Are you willing to change your own consumer habits?
About the author: For more information about what Dungan calls the manipulation of kids, and what he advises parents to do, see a PBS site called "Don't Buy It," a well-designed web site with components such as "Commercial Questions" at pbskids.org. The "Food Ad Tricks" section will delight the kid who's always looking for disgusting stories.
More from PregnancyandBaby.com
© Copyright 2003-11 SheKnows, LLC and/or individual copyright holders. All Rights Reserved.
Member Comments On...
'But Everyone Has One!'
6 |
Well I think parents shouldn't buy cloths or toy for kid's older then 9. You see if they work for what they want then they will take care of it!! And will learn to save for what they want. I got all my cloths and toy when I was 8, and I did it all by myself! I baby sat for the money and saved all the money I got. I never had an allowance I did chores because it was my house too!! If I didn't want it to be clean I wouldn't clean, but I did want it clean! All that I'm saying is that if you give the responsibility to the kid's they will think twice before buying that brand name jean's WITH there money
7 |
I think it starts very early in a childs life. They all use the but every one else has one. My kids are basically grown now I have 3 daughters and 1 son. The girls are all older than thier brother, but I heard it all when my girls got old enough we had a deal they find a job but continue school have good grades and whatever they made at work was thiers and what they could not afford I would help them with.That included prom dresses(my last 2 were twins). My son a little different he likes name brand clothes but if I cannot afford it he is okay with what I can get him. My son just made 19 this year and a freshmen in college his major electrical engineer and just a month ago we just got him his own celluar phone and he does not own a car he rides the train to school. He does not harass us about a car even though he wants one. So it is possible to bring up a well adjusted child by simply saying "look I cannot afford that
10 |
This is really good advice! My daughter is only six and already she's telling her father and I what she wants us to buy. These laid out strategies can be quite helpful for our household!
