It's that time of year! Who am I kidding? They beg and plead for toys year round… but Christmas especially! Saying "No" all month long doesn't get any easier, and you know children will put up a fight for what they love. Little do they know… 9 out of 10 times Santa has already wrapped it for delivery!
Well I'm here to help. How do you eliminate all the I want this and I want that's? Keep reading!
Make A List: Now this is directed to both you and the child. First, writing and decorating a Christmas List for Santa is one of the most treasured activities as a child. But many times children are so overwhelmed by the list making that they forget everything they've seen and wanted throughout the year. Use their gimme gimme's to your advantage and keep a wish list of the toys they've tugged your pants for.
"Put it on your Christmas list!"
Give Them the Game Plan: If you are shopping with children, give them the game plan of what the day is consisting of. Without a plan, not only will they be interrogating you from the back seat. "Where are we going? How much longer? What are we doing there?" Reiterate your mission of picking up a birthday gift for their cousin or recipe ingredients for tonight's dinner. The child will feel informed and it will be sure to weaken the request line.
Keep Their Spirits Up: And yours! It's an upsetting topic not being able to always give your children what they want. But this is life. We make sacrifices and do the best we can. Instead of making it a negative, use it as an opportunity to teach your child. Replace "We can't afford it" with "That $300 Barbie Car looks like fun, but we can definitely find something better for less!" Raise your child to with humble nature and thrifty shopping techniques; it'll only help them out in the long run.
Reverse Roles: Wherever you go to shop a child will sniff out the toys aisle… it's a talent of theirs! Instead of playing the bad guy, try a different approach. When they point at a special something they just HAVE to have, share the same excitement. "That's awesome!" and "I wish we could buy this!" will settle a lot smoother than a stern "No". Displaying a similar emotion to theirs makes them feel as though they got their point across... And acknowledging you both like the same toy will bring you closer.
Hope this helps! Enjoy your holiday!
Stephanie Falcone
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