Spoiled

When is too much, too much and not enough, well, not enough? It's no big secret that the Jellybean is --- to say the least --- privileged. She doesn't realize it because this is what she knows. It's what she was born into. We are far from filthy rich and we still need to be mindful of how much we spend and what we spend on. Our credit card bill this month pretty much sums that last bit up. I am far from frugal, but do try to keep in mind what I buy and the cost of buying what we need and where to find the cheapest price tag for what I'm buying. BUT, and a big one, I also love me my convenience and that alone is not an inexpensive cost. Anyhoots, back to my point of what it means to spoil your kid. I'm guilty of this in all ways and in all directions. I'm not talking about babying her and rocking her to sleep or never saying "no" and never disciplining her because it's quite the opposite in that sense. She does not get to eat if she's not sitting down. I won't feed her until she is flat on her bum on the floor or in a chair even if that means she's bawling and pouting and snuggling her pitiful little sobs into my chest. Anything she throws, she goes and picks it up to put it back herself almost all the time. We sing the "clean up" song when she's done playing (it's a Gymboree thing) and she knows to pick up whatever it is and put it back in the box, the drawer or what have you. Now she's still a baby and so it doesn't work one hundred percent of the time, but it works and when it doesn't, I scold her and she will do it. Albeit unhappily and maybe even tearfully, but she'll do it and then applaud herself by clapping or grinning back at me. She also brings me her bottle or sippy cup when she's done with it because she knows if it spills on the floor, she will be in trouble. She also does the "no no no" thing where she wags her little finger when she sees something I don't let her play with so the kiddy KNOWS and UNDERSTANDS, but she's a kid and naturally she does test her boundaries daily. I spoil her in a sense that she has everything and more and then some and this is where I wonder "how much is too much?". Just because there are kids out there that do not have enough toys or clothes or trinkets and gadgets, I don't feel the need to deprive the Jellybean of the finer things in life (to a degree, anyway) and by finer I mean, I pick up a toy for her if I happen to walk by a store and see something that I think can buy me some peace in the house for a week before she tires of it. She has hair clips that cost more than two Venti Cappuccinos from Starbucks that she loses almost daily (which is why I opted to start making my own!) and while some may view it as excessive, I don't necessarily feel that's the case. I will gladly forego a trip or ten to Starbucks to buy her that hairclip or I'll pass on eating out for lunch to buy her that activity table she no longer plays with but had a ball with for a week and only occasionally takes a jab at as she's walking past it now. For a while, I was pretty set and I actually honestly didn't buy her ANY toys for the very reason that kids have the attention span of Dory (refer to 'Finding Nemo'), but it's hard not to because you know that stupid piece of plastic is going to keep you sane for the next 168 hours. It's not a serious matter or concern at this very moment because she doesn't really know what it means to be materialistically spoiled, but she will soon enough and it's my job to teach her that not everything can be bought and that just because it can be doesn't mean that she can have it. I think I should start now. It's not like I'm out LOOKING for things to buy her constantly, but if I see something that I feel can be beneficial to me (and a little bit for her) I'll come home with it and that just may not be the right kind of message, ya know? I think the credit cards (and the husband) will thank me for this. So tell me, what do people do with their kids when it's still cold out and you're tired of being the bouncy mat? How is something so small capable of driving you nuts and keeping you sane at the same time?




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