Spoiled...but not Rotten!

Some children are spoiled and it is not their fault, it is their parents. ~Roald Dahl

It’s all my fault. I admit it though I have not in the past.

I spoil my daughters.  I cannot help it. They are so cute and funny and think about all the things

I believe that it all started when I was young.  We didn’t have a lot growing up.  My parents had 9 kids (6 girls and 3 boys).  It takes a lot of money to support a large family like we were.  My brothers were like garbage disposals.  They ate everything in sight.  My father used to make breakfast on Saturday mornings and the norm included 45 biscuits, a dozen of eggs and 2 packs of bacon.

Taking care of that many kids adds up.  Needless to say we didn’t have the toys and all the amenities that wealthier families had. Though I feel like I had a fairly happy childhood, there were still so many things that I wanted. 

I would always tell myself that when I was an adult and had children, I would make sure that I was able to support them and give them whatever they wanted.  I never saw this as spoiling them; I just thought that I wanted to make enough money to be able to provide those things for them that I didn’t get growing up.

My husband saw it much differently.  Though it was just he and his little sister, they still grew up with not much.  He never cared.  He still saw ways to have fun and be a kid.  He saw this as the foundation that has made him the strong ambitious man that he is today. 

He believes that this is what his children need.  The opportunity to work for what they want and that nothing is handed to them on a silver platter.

Though I agree with him, I feel that if I can afford it why completely deny them something they want if it is affordable and reasonable.

A small toy here, stopping at McDonalds there.  I didn’t see the problem. But then I took a look at my 3 year old little Diva.  She is impatient and has a since of entitlement.  She pouts and I give in.  She doesn’t dare ask her dad because she knows that he will say NO.  So she butters me up and I eventually give in.

That little girl knows my weakness. 

Even when she is not shopping with me, I see so many things that I just want to buy her.  A lot of it is things that I wanted as a little girl.  I wanted that Barbie and I wanted that Barbie car.  I wanted whatever cereal I wanted or I wanted that candy bar. 

After shopping this year for Black Friday, I noticed that almost all the items on my list were for her.  I couldn’t help it.  I actually bought her a Vanity, A Kitchen and Every Princess that Disney makes.  I still found other toys that I wanted to buy for her. 

I am terrible I know.  But I love them so much that I want the world for them.  I want to give them everything that I never had and more.  My hope is that they will be able to do the same for their children. 

I know my husband will be happy to read this post because I have never admitted to him that I spoil the children.  Though I must say though, my children are smart, bright, talented and extremely generous and sweet. 

They may be spoiled, but they are far from rotten!