The Littlest Consumer

There is no doubt that we live in a consumerist society. We are conditioned from a young age to buy what we need and what we want. You try to sheild your children from the media blitz, the commericals for the latest game, toy or movie. But it is difficult.

We try to limit new toys for Bunny to special occasions. Right now I am stocking up on little presents for when we start potty training. Nothing big just coloring books, crayons, little dinos (shocking I know) etc. But she doesn't get toys on a regular basis. We have enough here that she doesn't play with, she doesn't need any more.

I will however buy new books for her. I want her to love reading as much as I do. We check out books regularly from the library but we also like to have a variety of books at home. So she gets new books.

So we try not to spoil her. We try not to expose her to the consumer blitz. But she is not immune.

She has learned the words "Buy it." She knows that if she wants something we don't have, we can go to the store and "buy it." Yikes!

Luckily for us, her consumerist wants only center around food. She wants a pear, we only have apples. "Lets go to store to buy pears, momma." She wants chocolate milk, we don't have any. "Lets go buy some." No juice, "lets go buy it."

We don't give in to her demands but I blame myself for this behavior. I take her to the store with me all the time. I tell her we have to buy food for dinner. We need to get more milk because we've run out and so on.

Its because of me that my daughter knows the words "buy it." I've created another little consumer monster.