“I want an Oompa Loompa NOW, daddy!”
What kinds of kids are we creating?
I recently got an invitation in the mail to become a charter subscriber to a newly launched magazine for parents called Cookie, described by its editor-in-chief as “the new upscale lifestyle magazine for sophisticated parents.” In the accompanying letter, the Cookie execs touted it as the magazine for that certain demographic. You know the ones - the parents that buy the outrageous $800 Bugaboo strollers, spend $75 on salon-style baby haircuts, and take their kids on exotic luxury vacations. Seriously, people. They’re babies! One question: How much of this do you think they really care about? My answer: about none. Also, how did I get on that mailing list?
There’s been a lot of talk lately about this new trend towards parental extravagence. In a recent Salon article, which notes that the kids upscale product industry brings in an estimated $45 billion a year, James Twitchell, Ph.D., author of Lead Us Into Temptation: The Triumph of American Materialism says, “I have never seen a clearer acknowledgement that children have been reduced to accessories,” in regards to Cookie magazine.
So I ask, what kinds of kids are we creating? What are we teaching our children about money and materialism and competition and indulgence, even at such a young age? As the title of this post suggests, are we bringing up a new generation of Veruca Salts? A generation of kids who want an Oompa Loompa now, no matter the cost. No matter even if it’s not for sale.
Chris and I pride ourselves in doing this whole baby thing relatively budget-wise. Yes, we love our daughter. And we absolutely love to dress her up in adorable outfits and keep up with fun new baby gadgets. But the baby industry (much like the wedding industry) preys on people’s notions that it’s never enough. That you should be doing better. And paying more. But a hand-me-down changing table and last season’s stroller do not say to our daughter that we love her any less. We are intentional about what we buy for Sophia. Sure, we’re not perfect. We have a few of those unnecessary, but fun, baby items (Gotta love those Baby Ugg boots!). But ultimately, we want to teach our daughter that what matters are our relationships and compassion towards others, and not whether she lays her head down at night on Dwell crib sheets.
Amen sister!