Is your child demanding at the holidays? Experts reveal ways parents can handle gift greed
The holidays are stressful enough without worrying about checking off all the items on your child’s endless wish list and managing their disappointment when all they wanted isn’t under the tree … well, how would you even wrap a hippopotamus?
But many parents have added anxiety regarding how their children will handle opening presents — not to mention what mom and dad can afford.
In fact, two in three parents have even pulled an all-nighter in the spirit of holiday magic, according to a study conducted by Talker Research.
And the late nights don’t stop there — the average parent estimates they will be staying up past midnight five times this holiday season trying to get all the preparation done.
As parents begin to worry about how their children will handle this holiday season, Michigan station WLNS, citing child development experts, shared several tips to help parents teach their children how to graciously handle tearing into the wrapping paper and accepting their gifts.
Six ways to handle gift greed:
- Help your child know what to expect. Talk with them about how you believe the holiday will go and be honest.
- Establish financial gift boundaries.
- Emphasize gratitude. Teach that when your kids do get disappointed with an event, party or gift, it’s still important for them to be gracious recipients.
- Teach your child how to deal with disappointment.
- Highlight the rewards of giving. Experts say nothing lifts a child’s disappointment more quickly than giving a heartfelt gift to someone else.
- Focus on the magic of the season. Try to point out that toys are not as important as the family — and to help the mood, incorporate holiday music and other festive traditions.
Of course, this holiday season, some families can expect to both give and get a decent number of gifts.
“Depending on the city … holiday budget[s] this year can range anywhere from just over $200 to more than $4,000, taking into account residents’ income, their existing debt obligations and the cost of living,” Chip Lupo of WalletHub recently said in a statement.
New York City residents won’t exactly be giving — or getting — coal in their stockings this year, but the city’s maximum holiday budget of $1,539 pales in comparison to Newton, Massachusetts. which has the highest average holiday budget at $4,206, according to WalletHub.
That means, unfortunately, some won’t bring home as many presents as last year due to inflation.
