![\"too](\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2024\/11\/TooMuchStuff-1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nResearch suggests that an emphasis on money and material goods during childhood can shape our materialistic values as adults. And though kids need to understand where money comes from and how you earn it, the belief that acquiring more stuff is the key to happiness can be harmful to kids\u2019 development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe gravitate to material things because it gives us this boost of happiness,\u201d says Lan Nguyen Chaplin, an associate professor of marketing at the University of Illnois at Chicago. \u201cBut we\u2019re caught in this cycle of thinking, \u2018If I could just have that toy or shirt, I\u2019d be happier.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If a big holiday, flash sale or birthday is coming up soon, this might be a good opportunity to start a conversation with kids about financial values. Here\u2019s how materialism can negatively impact kids, and how parents can teach them better ways to spend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Materialism and happiness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Youth materialism is strongly associated with low self-esteem, as well as depression, anxiety, decreased motivation, and selfish behaviours. Similarly, materialistic adults tend to be more insecure, less generous, and report lower subjective well-being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Researchers suggest that this relationship is circular. In other words, feelings of low self-esteem may fuel the desire for material goods that we think will make us happy and symbolise success. But when those goods fail to live up to our expectations, we feel even more dissatisfied, and the pattern of wanting and buying continues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And initially, it does give you a jolt of joy \u2013 until you want the next thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In fact, neuroimaging research suggests that shopping can activate our brains\u2019 reward systems and release the feel-good chemical dopamine \u2013 but these effects are only temporary. Dopamine is also associated with learning; when something makes us feel good, we\u2019re more likely to repeat the behaviour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Young people\u2019s developing brains may be more sensitive to these rewards. For example, the nucleus accumbens, known as the brain\u2019s pleasure centre, shows peak activity during adolescence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do I teach my child not to be materialistic?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The good news? Parents can counteract some of the materialistic messaging that children receive from peers and marketers. \u201cThe secret here lies in spending time with your kids, communicating with them, and fostering a positive sense of self,\u201d Chaplin says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Avoid using material goods as punishment and reward<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Parents can then unwittingly reinforce materialistic messages through something called material parenting \u2013 using material goods as a reward for good behaviour and taking them away as a punishment for bad behaviour. This is a common strategy, Chaplin explains. \u201cBut in the long run, there\u2019s this focus on material things, and kids grow up to place a greater emphasis on material things as a sign of success and achievement.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In one study, Chaplin and her colleagues asked adults to recall the degree to which their parents used material goods as rewards or punishment for different behaviours. The participants whose parents relied on this strategy were more likely to judge other people\u2019s success based on the products they have and how much they own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Talking about advertising<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A study by the American Psychological Association found that each year the average child watches more than 40,000 adverts, which often suggest that possessions are directly related to happiness, beauty and success. That may lead to materialistic behaviour being used as a coping mechanism when children don\u2019t live up to advertising ideals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cKids don\u2019t even realise what an advertisement is when they\u2019re young \u2013 they just see something and they think it\u2019s great,\u201d says Marsha Richins, professor of marketing at the University of Missouri.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Studies have found that forewarning kids about manipulative advertising content can increase their scepticism and reduce their desire for the product. Chaplin says that parents can help them by fact-checking claims and showing them how to think critically about products. For example, if you\u2019re watching a programme together and see an ad for a new phone, it\u2019s the perfect opportunity to say: I wouldn\u2019t buy that phone because I have one that works perfectly well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Focus on building self-esteem<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Instead of focusing on material goods as markers of success, help kids focus on building what Richins calls \u201cintangible resources.\u201d Encourage them to develop friendships and pursue interests that boost their self-esteem without relying on material goods \u2013 this shows them that success and achievement don\u2019t necessarily come from buying things.<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nMaterialism is highly correlated with low self-esteem, Chaplin adds. A great way to foster self-esteem is by spending quality time with kids and participating in activities they love. \u201cThey\u2019re not going to feel like they need to attach themselves to fleeting objects for a self-esteem boost if they already have high self-esteem.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finding better ways to be happy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In general, income isn\u2019t a strong predictor of happiness \u2013 but we know from studies in adults that we can spend our extra cash in ways that are more likely to make us happy. So, while kids probably don\u2019t have their own source of income yet, parents can start building these habits now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Talk to kids about wants vs. needs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Help children understand the value of products, and by extension, how to prioritise spending, Chaplin says. For instance, when a child asks for something, she recommends opening up a conversation about wants and needs: why what they want is unique, how much it costs, and how much of their own money they would need to save to get it. \u201cYou\u2019d be surprised how carefully they think about needs and wants when it\u2019s their money,\u201d she says. Kids usually end up seeing more value in saving up for something they really want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Practise gratitude and giving<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Higher levels of gratitude are associated with lower levels of materialism. Researchers suggest this is because gratitude boosts feelings of security, well-being, and generosity, which in turn reduces the emphasis on material goods such as a means of comfort and happiness. In addition to decreasing materialism, gratitude is related to better school performance, lower levels of depression, and stronger social connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In one study, Chaplin and her colleagues asked adolescents to write down who and what they were thankful for in a gratitude journal every day. \u201cAfter about two weeks, they felt like they needed fewer things in their lives,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd not only that but they felt like they needed to share what they have with others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nParents can build gratitude into their family lifestyle by doing things like donating toys kids don\u2019t play with any more. \u201cChildren see they have all these excess material goods, and they can share it with people who don\u2019t have enough.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Invest in experiences \u2013 and help kids remember them<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Research in adults consistently shows that experiential purchases lead to longer-lasting happiness because people tend to connect over their shared experiences \u2013 not their material possessions. That said, very young children typically get more happiness from material things. So, when do kids make the switch? It has to do with brain development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI often hear parents complaining about how they shouldn\u2019t have taken their kids on their foreign holiday, because the kids didn\u2019t appreciate it,\u201d Chaplin says. \u201cBut the child\u2019s memory skills are just inefficient at a certain age.\u201d Unlike tangible objects, experiences tend to be fleeting and abstract \u2013 and little kids simply don\u2019t remember them very well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As children get older, their memory and recall get better, and they\u2019re able to handle abstract information. That\u2019s when they learn to appreciate experiences better. \u201cThey understand that people don\u2019t really like to have conversations about your newest sneakers, but they want to hear about what you did this weekend,\u201d Chaplin explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Parents can help younger kids start learning to appreciate experiences by helping them remember. Souvenirs or gifts are concrete objects that can remind them of a family holiday, but you can also create memories for free, Chaplin says. She recommends taking photos and videos of birthday parties, holidays and family time so that you can look back at them together. Because when children start to remember pleasant experiences, they\u2019re more likely to make future choices that increase happiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n