Do you like to buy gifts for your children? I sure do for my two boys. I enjoy seeing the look on their face when they get an unexpected present about as much as they enjoy opening it. But here’s the tricky part. We parents can overdo gift giving. From bikes to smartphones to cars, some of us give our kids everything. We all love to see our children happy, of course, but a little struggle can be good for them.
A few years ago, my oldest son Trent decided he wanted a new Lego set of the Death Star. This thing was huge. It cost almost $400. Of course, he asked his mom and me to buy it for him, but we told him, “That’s just too much money.”
But Trent had made up his mind. He wanted that Death Star. So he buckled down and saved his allowance for the next three years. And you know what? He did it. I was impressed.
He not only learned a lot about working hard for something, but he also discovered how much he wanted it. A couple hundred dollars in he could have decided, “It’s just not worth it,” and used the money for something else. Instead, he stuck with it and earned more than just a cool toy, he developed a good life skill.
Sometimes it’s best to let children earn the things they want. It helps them develop an important level of maturity they need to live life well.