Filed under: Lynnette Khalfani-Cox
As a parent -- or any adult who has influence over a youngster in your life -- be prepared to explain to your children that some kids are always going to have more stuff than they have. That shouldn't make them feel bad. Nor should it turn them into green-eyed monsters. In fact, no matter what your children may see around them -- or on TV -- you can help your offspring to be less materialistic in three key ways.
First, be a role model they can emulate. Children learn not just by our words, but also by our actions. So set a good example with your own behavior. If your children witnesses you constantly shopping for tech toys, upgrading to the latest flat-screen TV, or acting jealous over what your neighbors and friends have, they will likely behave the same way.
Second, show your children less fortunate youngsters. If you take your kids on monthly or quarterly volunteer outings with under-privileged youth, those experiences will create opportunities for you to talk to your kids about being grateful for what they do have. And it won't just be you jaw-boning. Your words will be reinforced by your children seeing and talking to other youngsters with little or no material goods. That's sure to make a long-lasting impression on your children.
Lastly, show your kids how they can have fun without buying the latest iPod, Wii, or Nintendo DS. For example, do you have athletic kids or children who are not-so-athletic, but nevertheless into sports? If so, encourage them to spend their time on the weekends on the tennis or basketball court, or kicking around a soccer ball - as opposed to hitting the mall, constantly texting their friends or spending hours propped in front of a computer or television set.
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Some of you may have children like mine, who are into arts and crafts. Issue a challenge where they make things out of stuff you have around the house - say, a jewelry box made from a shoe box and decorated using colored markers, buttons and other imaginative items.
Lastly, to prevent teens from being overly materialistic, encourage them to get a part-time job. That's right: a J-O-B. Not only will it keep them from constantly asking you for money, working is also a good antidote to teens wanting to buy so much stuff because they'll realize how many work hours they have to trade for the things they want.
All of these strategies can help make young people a little more fiscally responsible -- and a lot less materialistic. How do the children in your life behave financially? Are they money savvy or do they think that money "grows on trees"?
Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, an award-winning financial news journalist and former Wall Street Journal reporter for CNBC, has been featured in the Washington Post, USA Today, and the New York Times, as well as magazines ranging from Essence and Redbook to Black Enterprise and Smart Money. Check out her New York Times best seller 'Zero Debt: The Ultimate Guide to Financial Freedom.'