Parenting Tips: Mom's Store

I happen to believe that it is important for children to learn to give gifts.  As shown by my post last Monday, I believe they need to learn to give gifts other than just purchased gifts, but I also believe in children spending their own money to buy something.  So, as soon as they have an allowance or a way to earn money [even if it is provided by me] I expect them to use some of that money for gifts for siblings etc.

Before the wonderland of dollar stores was available it was nearly impossible to find anything a child could afford in a store. Plus, some children are not really ready for store shopping, even with parental help. So my children start out by shopping at their own personal store.  I buy things I know the children need or would enjoy [hopefully both] when they are on sale and stash them away for the next time the "store" opens.  Then when the next birthday or holiday is near I lay the items out on my bed marked with prices they can afford and each child gets a turn to come to my store one at a time. I vary the prices depending on the age of the child [and the size of their allowance]. I have wrapping paper right there and they buy, wrap, and tag their gift[s] and leave all ready for the big day.

As they get older, we gradually shift to dollar store shopping [candles, tools, cute sticky notes, and card games are big favorites]. On the other hand, even at dollar store prices, a holiday can become expensive for a child so my store remains popular as children get older.  The final bonus is the pride each one feels when they are old enough, and have budgeted generously and carefully enough to be able to shop all on their own in stores. [Remember this is possible a lot earlier and less expensively if you use my four-square gift method explained in that Dec 2 post.]

Happy shopping!