The awesome part of creating your kid’s wish list is that it’s just that. You don’t have to buy all of it.
It’s a wish list!
It’s not a “I get everything I want list.”
I mean (by all means) go buy your kids whatever they want – if you want to raise bratty and spoiled children that are incapable of delayed gratification.
My house will be practicing patience. And remembering that stuff will never make you happy.
Sure we buy presents.
But we refuse to chase happiness in them.
Gabish?
Whenever I’m in a toy store with Jason and he runs around pointing to everything he wants, I take out a pencil and a scrap of paper and write it all down on his “wish list.” That seems to satisfy him. And it doesn’t mean I have to buy any of the things for him—unless maybe it’s a special occasion. I guess what Jason likes about his “wish list” is that it shows that I not only know what he wants but that I care enough to put it in writing.
-Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish, How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk (Amazon)