| Does your child have friends with overly permissive | | | | your relationship that assures your child that even if |
| parents? Are you feeling the pressure to be | | | | you deny him or her a treat that you do it out of love |
| permissive and say yes when your better instincts are | | | | not meanness. |
| screaming at you to say no? You are not alone with | | | | Discipline yourself to tell your children often and with |
| your feelings. Our society has made it very difficult for | | | | conviction just how proud you are of their |
| a parent to deny their children's requests. The | | | | accomplishments no matter how small and that you |
| parenting skills and discipline in television families is lax | | | | love them no matter what. To assure them of your |
| at best and at its worst, nonexistent and irresponsible. It | | | | love and admiration several times a day is not too |
| is a sad fact that our children expect us to follow suit. | | | | much. |
| Advertisements set your kids up to expect a | | | | Carefully monitor which programs that your children |
| resounding affirmative answer when they voice their | | | | are watching. Make it your goal to watch any show to |
| desires for the latest gadgets and products that are | | | | see what messages it sends before you allow it to |
| marketed to their age group. If you refuse their | | | | become part of your child's list of approved shows. Or |
| requests, expect an over the top instantaneous | | | | better yet, replace the television with books and |
| reaction that may raise the roof of your house. How | | | | activities. If that is unrealistic, consider renting or buying |
| dare you not have the available credit or cash to dash | | | | family oriented movies with no advertising or sales |
| out to the discount store or log on to their website to | | | | promotions. This in and of itself will lessen the number |
| order their products? What kind of parent are you to | | | | of battles regarding the requests for unnecessary |
| fail to acknowledge your child's need for whatever | | | | items in your household. |
| they are selling? | | | | If over consumption has already taken hold, you may |
| If you have risked the wrath of your child by refusing | | | | find that you have to have a serious discussion on the |
| to bow to their demands, you are probably a better | | | | subject. Overspending can become an addiction as |
| parent than might believe at the moment. The lesson | | | | evidenced in the number of bankruptcies and |
| that instant gratification is not the answer to happiness | | | | mortgage defaults. There's no harm in teaching life |
| is a valuable one. Now that we have agreed amongst | | | | lessons that will spare your children this misery. If you |
| ourselves that our kids need to be told no on occasion, | | | | dare to say no to your children early on you will be |
| how do we say no and still have peace in our homes? | | | | equipping them with the tools to recognize and |
| The key to saying no with success is based on what | | | | practice responsible spending habits when they are |
| happens before they ever start hammering you with | | | | adults that are in charge of managing their own |
| demands. The key is to have a stable foundation for | | | | finances. |