I’ve bought that chicken little book twice b/c it went in the bath tub. I used to skim read things while she was in the bath tub b/c I was standing right next to her and used to give her a bath in the sink… and then she started wanting to take the books in the bath tub… bad mommy for trying to multitask!

@Miles – thanks for your comment. I like what you are saying. Why am I so worried about my child being spoiled? I want him to experience moments of great joy, and sometimes that involves spending money. Especially in ways that show I’m thinking about what he would like.

If you do it all the time, that’s likely a problem. But sometimes you just need to be extravagant. Parenting (like life in general) is a mixture of body, mind and soul– the physical, the mental and the emotional. All are necessary ways of expressing love.

Don’t let fear rule you. “Perfect love casts out fear.” While that means something different in its full context, it turns out to be an excellent, general principle.

@Cara- yes, we are trying to teach him to care for things. The trains can’t go in the bath, they can only watch.

@Diana- probably true. And he really does love the toy — he keeps talking about it and playing with it, so there we go. But like I said, I think I will start hunting on eBay for these trains…

But things don’t buy happiness… and the ability to live on less and just know where your stuff is and really value say experiences over material things is good… But frugality has its limit… I mean how long will he be 3 and want to spend all day with you in the bookstore or be that into trains

My daughter’s bday presents — half of them we didn’t even give her b/c I felt she couldn’t really enjoy that many gifts at once (she is only 2 and it is like overload for them) so I am giving them at xmas — this of course does not work once they know the difference… but nowadays a kid has a bday party and gets 20 gifts and where do you even put 20 gifts…

I also have walked out of stores when she starts asking for stuff b/c I think window shopping is fun for a two year old and they go on to the next thing so fast…. by the time you get the toy home sometimes it is like they don’t remember.. and it teaches that just b/c we went into a store we don’t have to buy anything (umm store clerks do not really like this )

At least he has a brother so all toys can be passed down (and of course girls love trains too!)

More important than not buying things is maybe teaching them to keep their things clean and value their things so they last… I mean if you value what you buy and it brings you pleasure as this seems to … it seems good… and you don’ want all your money in your 401K — just for when you are old and your kid is not a kid and not interested in the bookstore with you…