will my baby be happy as an os baby?

moggins

You should have seen Pay Off Your Morgage last night, the parents had never had much and in fact lived for the first four years of their boys lives in a camper van (a small one too). Their boys were a complete joy to behold, happy, intelligent, well adjusted. They would eat anything (even nettle soup). The mother was insistant that her family came first not things or money. If that doesn't show how little children need the gadgets before love and care then I don't know what does.

aurorahelios

IMO all children would be better off with an OS lifestyle. The values an OS lifestyle provides give a good grounding for many life skills which, are sadly lacking for many adults.

At the end of the day there is always someone better off than ourselves. If we teach our children that they have to have everything to be happy, then they will never be happy with what they have and are setting themselves up for a pretty miserable life.

Your child may at some stage rebel against an OS lifestyle, but rebelling against our parents is normal and in the long run he will remember your love long after anything else you have given him.

Penny-Pincher!!

DD (11) is a proud money saver, although she says im a little OTT about it sometimes...moi???? I normally reply by stating that its OK when we can buy her this and that because of the savings ive made elsewhere...LOL.

She can iron, cook, clean (no comment!), sew and use vouchers.

Was abit embarrasing the other night....I was in the kitchen and she shouted out "quick mum, your Martin is on ready steady cook and he's got another funky shirt on, but this one looks OK" It was a kodak moment...LOL.


PP
xx

ellawood

I think i was raised os and it has taugh me to be careful with money but i do like to spent money on my daughter as i think i missed out on a lot of things my friends had that i did not so she dances playes the viola likes nice thinks but i am happy to do with out (i did get a lot of my older brother passed on clothes so i think that is why i have treated her so) I have always wanted to play a :rolleyes: n instrument and could not and now i have lessons each week as well.

THIRZAH

Both my children were raised OS. It did get a bit much for a while when it seemed that every child on the street used to come round to "help" on baking days but otherwise we had few problems.They never asked for designer labels etc-in fact they tended to be quite scornful of their classmates who thought such things important

My children are healthy . They are both good with money. DD1 was able to buy her first house (with the help of a mortgage) at the age of 24 last year. She'd managed to save enough for a deposit after working for less than two years and she was living away from home in rented accommodation .DD2 is in her last year at uni. She has a student loan but no overdraft and hasn't touched the small amount of savings she had when she was 18.

On the other hand I've never been able to get either of them to show the slightest interest in sewing, knitting or housework so perhaps I did go wrong somewhere.

ellawood

I have had a bit of a think alot was my parents thoughs on that girls could have boys toys but not the other way round I REALLY WANTED wendy house so we got a wigwam because my brother could play with it too and i got cars and things like that

Nikki

We were raised os too. Mum always cooked from scratch and still does. She knitted us jumpers and still knits them for the grandchildren. She worked as a seamstress when she left school, so made quite alot of our clothes herself. I never remember caring or being embarrassed about it. If I really wanted something out of the ordinary I had to save pocket/birthday money to get it, this is something my children have to do too. My kids have no problem with being raised os, they prefer HM food. DS1 will wear anything I buy him regardless of where it came from or how much it cost. DD loves the jumpers my mum knits her and also loves getting HMD's from my 9yr old niece. DS2 gets HMD's from my 8yr old nephew most of which came from DS1 originally, so we get alot of wear out of kids clothes in our family as DD's clothes go to my other nieces when she's out grown them!!

thrifty_sue

'believe me, my mother was so NOT OS that it hurt, me! she was raised upper middle class and fought kicking and screaming against us being below the poverty line. she taught me how horrible it is to be poor and nothing about making the best of what you have and learning to enjoy it'

This really rings true somewhat true with my family. They are already keen for him to go a private school when the time comes in order to keep up with family traditions. Not sure where the money is coming for that?!

My parents really are already quite indulgent with him because he is their first grandchild, and it worries me that he will enjoy coming home to us (his parents) because we can't afford all those luxuries.

I do know what you mean about money not buying love etc... and I hope we can raise him to understand this. I really belive os is the way forward and we have already seen great benefit from the tips posted. I just hope I can get my parents to see this! :rolleyes:

Rikki

Its the grandparents job to spoil them. Children learn that so don't worry.

My children go to private school and having a strict school uniform makes it easier not to compete. When in kindergarden and pre prep I bought cheap clothes and cut the labels out. A green jumper was a green jumper and the cheaper one used to wash really well too.
My eldest now wears suits in the sixth form. His are from Matalan they wash and he can have two for the price of an expensive one. He doesn't go for a fancy label he goes for what he likes and can afford. Its how hes been brought up.
To me I wanted to give them the education and teach them that life can be hard and you have to work hard to get what you want.

You will understand about money not buying love. When he's a little older and he is happy with the cardboard box more than the expensive toy inside.

mancitychick

thrifty_sue wrote:

I was just wondering how people felt their children reacted to OS? I have been using alot of the tips posted on this forum, and have found it invaluable as well as saving us a bundle..

However, I am concerned about how my baby who is now 5 months will feel as he grows up. I hope he won't grow resentful that we weren't able to always afford goods that other families may take for granted and were having to buy tesco value and from cheaper stores etc...

I try to give him all the love possible, but I still can't help feeling guilty.

My hubby who is 30 was raised on a tight budget as it was just him and his mum and they really didn't have alot of money. He never had holidays and clothes were mostly family hand downs, he didn't have the latest toys and new trainers etc unlike the kids in his village.

This is compared to me who grew up not wanting for anything, went to private school food from waitrose/m&s all our clothes new from the likes of m&s and john lewis. (used to beg my mum to buy from tammy girl but it was not good enough for us! :rotfl: We went on holiday at least once a year etc... The up shot is my hubby had a much happier childhood in my opinion. He grew up much more balanced then me and is great with money. Whereas I got in debt (4k credit cards) by the time I was 19 :eek: My mum cleared this for me in one go and guess what...... I ran it up again! This time my Dad paid it all off for me - have since stayed debt free.

My hubby loves his Mum to bits and does not resent her one bit and is not in the slightest bit bothered that he had nothing as a child. (she passed away 2 years ago). Where as I don't have the best relationship with my Mum. My dad would throw money at me as a kid but didn't really spend that much time with me, I would of rather of had time doing something with him than the money

Anyway I am waffling on now, I am just trying so say that money etc doesn't really come into into it with kids. I think it is more about the love you show them and the way you treat them than how much money you can throw at them.