My kids aren't spoiled and I have tried very hard to teach them that things they are given cost money that I work hard for. They also get an allowance which they save. My kids both got gameboys with games and carrying cases(about 2 years ago). I know things get lost, but about half the games have been lost by now, and recently one lost the entire gameboy. I taught them how important it was to keep things in the case. I've taken gameboys away when the games were laying around the house or being mistreated. No punishment works. I have not replace the lost gameboy, but I can see this hasn't taught my son anything. He doesnt' seem to see the point of it. I have told them they're not old enough to have these things since they can't take care of them, but it doesnt' work......cause if I take away everything they were careless with they'd have nothing! How do you punish this behavior when they dont' care? Should I make my 6yr old save $75 for a new gameboy? Is that realistic?
2006-07-21 02:49:35 · 12 answers · asked by paintgirl 4 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Grade-Schooler
My girlfriends kids are the same way. She bought them Gameboys for Christmas. They end up lying on the floor waiting to get stepped on and are constantly getting missplaced. Most of the games are scattered everywhere. I realized kids have short attention spans and sometimes forget but some of the things they do, especially with an expensive toy are rediculous. I personally dont think making your child save for something they want is unrealistic. If they want it bad enough they will do it. If they have to work and save for it themselves as opposed to having it handed to them, they will appreciate it more. Or wait and get them the expensive toys for Christmas or birthdays. Or dont replace it at all. He's 6 years old. Why does he HAVE to have a gameboy? He can live without it. My girlfriends kids used to get everything handed to them. When she and I got together I couldnt handle it. They now work and earn what they get. I dont mean work like physical labor, but work like cleaning their room and doing small chores, which in my opinion builds character and responsibility. We DID take everything away from them once! We left them with a very few scant things to play with and told them if they wanted their stuff back they had to change their attitude. It worked for us. They showed more appreciation towards things. 50 even 25 years ago, kids had to work for the things they got. Why should todays kids have everything handed to them? They will grow up as adults who think everything should be handed to them.
2006-07-21 03:03:17 · answer #1 · answered by tmills883 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
My son is eight and he is always losing stuff. He also has a game boy and was losing it all the time. What I did was told him his games and gameboy belong in the case. He also has a special place that it has to put away. If he lays it around anywhere even if it was a safe place I take it away for a week. (A week may be a little too long for a 6 year old, week meaning 7 days) At his age 4 or 5 days. You can always make it longer if it doesn't seem to be working.
At first my son didn't do good at all. I followed through with what I told him I would do. He caught on fast. He doesn't lose his game boy anymore, but about a week ago he left his bat and batting gloves at the ball field. He completely forgot to bring them home. He was upset that he lost it. He was even more upset when I told him it was not going to be replaced.
I thought of making him buy his own but I didn't. The reason is because he thinks money is easy to get. In our case he doesn't get an allowence. I give him a little money out of each check for his savings. (saving for a car) He does chours but doesn't get paid.
Making your son pay for it... That may work if he is truely working for his money. He may even take better care of it if he knows that he paid for it. Don't let him make $60.00 and pay for the rest. Make sure he earns every dime of it. This way Maybe he will learn it takes a long time to earn money and buy nice things.
Good luck to you
2006-07-21 03:08:21 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had the same problem with my kids when I got their gameboys. First, I made them find the one that was lost. They looked for an hour each day for about 4 days before it was found. (Of course, be reasonable about the time limit depending on the age. If they look for 4 or 5 days and can't find it, just give up. Don't expect a miracle.)
After they found it, I made it a designated place on our entertainment center. I also made a rule that it could only be played in the living room, or in a vehicle if it's a really long drive. If it wasn't being played in the living room, it had better be on that entertainment center.
It was a little tiresome to enforce at first, but after about a week they learned the rules very well. Now we never have trouble finding it, and they realize the value of putting something back in it's place.
2006-07-21 09:37:04 · answer #3 · answered by just4funyall 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You definitely should make your children save for another gameboy on their own. Make them do work around the house to earn their money, and let them know that that is the only way they'll be able to get another one, and games as well. If kids don't learn the value of money early, then they never will, and they will always know that you will be right there to give them something when they lose it or break it. How will they ever learn the value of hard work and the value of a dollar, if you're always there to pick up their mess.
2006-07-21 02:55:32 · answer #4 · answered by graciefaith1 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What you have done is commendable but is it really necessary for a 6 year old who was 4 at the time of purchase in real need of a game-boy and the responsibility that goes along with?
At such an early age we as parents need to help keep track of things like that with them and not leave it solely on a 4 year old who is in the process of learning so many things at once.
Responsibility is not a bad thing to teach children but you need to start them by cleaning up there toys and not expensive toys such as game-boys. They really don't have the concept of money at that age.
Replacing it is up to you but you must remember that they are not 10 or 12 years of age when they have a better concept of money.
2006-07-21 03:00:47 · answer #5 · answered by Gabe 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Age appropriate expectations will help you determine what to expect from your children based on a general societal view of what children are capable of at specific ages. It may not be unreasonable, but it certainly is unrealistic to expect a six year old to understand the concept of money, how it is earned and caring for one's belongings. Consistency and repetition work well in helping them retain the "rules" you set. Children are very creative and inventive, therefore taking things away may just backfire and they learn to make do with whatever they can find. Maybe it's time to reevaluate your expectations to determine if they are age-appropriate and develop new ones based on your own children's personalities and your goals for them. It will help if they are an active part of the process and the discipline involved.
Here's some info to get your started, but there are many sites out there.
http://www.parenting.org/archive/precious/education/2003/Sep03_clear_expectations.asp
http://www.age-appropriate-chores.com/
2006-07-21 03:00:41 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Kids will never understand until they are making money of their on and have responsibilities. If they lose something do not replace it, the next time they will know Mommy is serious and try to take better care of their things.
2006-07-21 02:55:13 · answer #7 · answered by unebellefille10 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If he wants another one, then yes, it is very realistic. My 6-yr-old wanted an iPod, so we bought it for her and told her she does not get her allowance for two months, as that is how she is paying us back for the "loan". The best way to teach them it to let them do without and they will then see how important it is to take care of what they have.
2006-07-21 02:56:16 · answer #8 · answered by Tangled Web 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have gotten my kids to do work around the house to show them how long it takes to work for something. These chores do not have to be laboursome just long. Good luck. Have the microwave beep each hour to show them the lenght of time it would take to make the $75.00 back.
2006-07-21 06:29:43 · answer #9 · answered by i.needitall 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Kids are clumsy and will lose stuff. my son kept losing his jacket at school and then he lost his text book for class.. so he finally started paying for all the stuff he was losing and his piggy bank got really small and he now doen't lose hardly anything because he pays more attention to his stuff when he pays for it
2006-07-21 04:35:16 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋