Old Style Children?

Jox

avoid having the tv on as much as possible, go out to the park with a ball, use pens and paper to play with, read stories together

[Deleted User]

Learn to say No and mean it but to avoid too much stress try to offer an alternative.My children were brought up to value things and work for themThey wern't allowed a lot of the stuff on the market today as A. it wasn't around and B.even if it had been I couldn't have afforded it anyway.The t.v. was rationed and bed wasn't that late anywayI didn't mind them reading in bed but 7.30 on a school night in the summer and 8.30 at weekends until they were at least 11-or 12.But I was brought up quite scrictly by my parents and in my house Mums word was law no arguements or whinging.My youngest DD is the same with her brood
The youngest three know that homework comes first and play comes second.As I'm usually the one there after school they have got used to it now and don't bother argueing as granny's word is law unti Mum or dad come home .I adore my grandchildren and I give them my time and attention but not non stop sweets and pop or crisps when they come home from school its a drink of milk and some biscuits or cake if I've made some then homework and once thats done then they can go out to play No t.v. or computer games until all the homework is finished .My DD would be the same if she was at home but as she has to work full time as does her OH then the kids know that work comes first.
My dd wouldn't have the money or tha space for plastic toys as their house bulges at the seams at times anyway.every now and again we have a clear out of books to the charity shop and anything they no longer play with goes there as well.

SpikyHedgehog

I didn't have a tv when DS1 was little, but I went back to work when DS2 was 5 months old, & Errant Husband used to put tv on for him all the time. As he got older, I insisted he only had tv with no adverts (so, bbc or videos/dvds) as I was so fed up with him wanting all this rubbish. Since Errant Husband left last year, there's a lot less tv watched here & less wanting stuff for it's own sake.

DS2 does still want whatever the latest fad is at school & I do try to make sure he has something - a few bey blades, or some pokemon cards, because unfortunately, having those things helps with socialisation of the young ;-)

I try to make sure the boys are aware of the costs of things by talking about what else the same money would get.

chinagirl

Lavandula wrote: »

Anyone got any ideas on how to bring up my son (age 6) so that he appreciates the non-materialistic things in life?

It is so hard to try and draw him away from the advertising and pressure from other kids to 'conform', i.e. buy the latest toy craze, eat junk food, play video games etc.

HELP anyone?

Take him camping... the best way for kids to discover they can amuse themselves without modern technology.

ziggy2004

Take them outside! We go outside a lot and all my children love it. They rarely ask for anything plastic in the middle of the forest or on the beach

This week we have made our own jam from black berries we picked and we made bows from some bent sticks they found which they decorated with plain pen. We just used some left over wool and brown packing tape to make them into bows and they work fab. Next we are going to make soft tipped arrows which means another trip into the woods :T

tori.k

I've got a 14yr old that should have been born in the 1950's, he's very much a wolf than a lamb in his peer group due mostly to his love of rockabilly (not sure where that came from). get him a copy of the dangerous book for boys he will love it:D
He was 11 when we brought our first TV so his childhood has mostly been very much make our own entertainment..but it's never stopped him wanting stuff, humans are tribal in nature and life is a journey mostly spent trying to find our place in it, so as much as my lad is happy in his retro lifestyle he still wants the latest bit of plastic tack/game that keep's him in the loop with his peers I think all you can do is give them information to help them make informed choices over the ethics of certain products,try and make them think before they buy, I think the best thing I ever did with my kids is not stop them from having stuff but even when they were small i met them half way I'd match them £ for £ for the things they wanted, so they had to work for it, being lads they soon decided somethings were not worth the work for

StarLight

My DD is 6 nearly 7. A little while ago I explained to her that adverts are mostly pretend and they are trying to sell her something that she doesn't necessarily need. Now she tells the Injury Lawyers for U actors that they are not real and to stop trying to sell her something - so I think the message got through. Just need her to say the same thing to the Polly Pocket ads now.

I don't think that you can get away from all the materialistic items that surround children today, but I believe that you can teach children to appreciate what they have got. I struggle I must admit but today when my daughter asked why she can't have hot dinners at school I explained that if we walked more and saved petrol we would have more money to spend on other things (she HATES walking) and that she would be able to have the occasional hot dinner. I felt terrible but we just can't afford it now.

Car boots are a must for us and also trips to the charity shop, however I still think that we are somehow teaching our child that shopping will make her happy and that buying things will make her happier. If my OH had his way we would do this every weekend but I have to put my foot down, again because we don't have the money!! But what if we did .... who knows.

Don't you find that it is just such a big responsibility bringing up a child I stress about it most days as to whether I am doing the right thing. x

luxor4t

Jox wrote: »

avoid having the tv on as much as possible, .....

This /\.
Talk, laugh, play, walk and work with your son so he learns that he can have fun without needing all the latest junk.
Show him how to do practical things like growing plants, cooking, using simple tools etc. I still remember building walls with my grandad when supposedly 'too young', learning how to hammer in a nail without smashing a finger etc. far more interesting than toys

dawn_rose

hiya i got three girls 6 5 and 2 my eldest is a mummy can we have this that and the other and could bankrupt you in half an hr. I tell the kids that we can only aford so much that i no more room for anymore i the house as its stuffed with toys most of which they hardly play with. theyd rather play in the yard or i take em over the road to the huge park. they go to the park in town to feed th ducks n we take a picnic. They like the clothes i make them and appreciate it when they get new things. one thing is for sure we are never ever ever entertaining those overpriced ugly over the top lelly kelly shoes that come with the free pen from the pound shop. the end lol x

rosie383

I have my kids conditioned to expect to get things bought for them only from either the car boot sale or charity shop.
We were without TV at home for about a month and the children entertained themselves really well.Mind you, they are girls (5 and 13) and are quite happy sitting drawing and colouring in for hours!!
Now that we have the TV back on, I have noticed that it isn't the first thing they look for when they come in from school. It really doesn't take long to break the habit.
I am also watching much less TV than before, once I got it into my head that my life will not be 'damaged' in any way if I happen to miss a programme that I really enjoy.
So now, instead of being glued to it for hours every day (even while doing housework etc), now I tend to just go on iplayer and catch up on maybe Great British Bakeoff or Masterchef or whatever. So perhaps 1 hour rather than 3 or 4!