Are we trying to buy our kid's self-worth?

I found some interesting articles online about this.

- An inability to stay satisfied is arguably one of the key reasons ancient man moved out of his drafty cave and began building the civilization you now inhabit. But you're not living in a cave, and you likely don't have to worry about mere survival.

- If you want to know how to use the money you have to become happier, you need to understand just what it is that brings you happiness in the first place. And that's where the newest happiness research comes in.

- Our preoccupation with stuff obscures an important truth: The things that don't last create the most lasting happiness. Compare the pleasure you get from the most recent things you've bought vs. the experiences (a night out, a vacation) you spent money on. "In your memory, you're free to embellish and elaborate."

- Experts say kids are likely to cultivate a strong taste for consumerism when moms and dads aren't careful with gift-giving and responding to their child's requests. Too often, they say, time-strapped parents are paying off their kids, and too often, parents are simply failing to say no.

- Common sense tells us that parents who continually treat their children with showy birthday parties and extravagant gifts, and frequently cave in to their demands are on the road to raising spoiled children. Likewise, when parents don't help their sons and daughters understand peer pressure and advertising, the kids will probably develop a hearty appetite for materialism.

- Psychologists have observed how families that spend too much time pursuing the badges of prestige, whether they are consumer goods or career goals, are likely to develop strained relationships. Kids become lonely, depressed, and angry when parents give them material items instead of their attention. Others have found that materialistic teens tend to be more self-centered and usually have more problems with anxiety, physical ailments, and drug and alcohol abuse.

- "Kids get more and expect more because of the lingering guilt on the part of the parents about not spending enough time with their children." "Parents try to assuage the guilt by purchasing the child's affection and to a certain extent, silence." Preventing the many effects of materialism means parents and children must get their cravings under control.

- "If we buy on impulse, overextend our credit, shop for recreation, or are always pursuing the latest model car or gadget, it will be very hard to talk credibly to our children about wanting too much."

- One way to prevent self-centeredness among children and cure it once it has begun is by families regularly helping people who are less privileged. "Young people by nature are egocentric." "Parents need to make an intentional effort making kids more sensitive to the needs of others." Helping disadvantaged people teaches that money carries certain obligations, but also teaches kids about the pleasures of giving.

- "Stressing personal growth and self expression will help a child focus more on inward experiences and less on trying to find satisfaction in external objects." If a child is taught to value self expression, he or she will quickly become bored with shopping for most consumer items. "You can't express yourself through a Nintendo game."

- Raising less materialistic children requires that parents are vigilant in counteracting the barrage of messages that encourage kids to focus on their own desires. This means teaching kids and parents to find joy in themselves and in other people—not on the shelf at the store. "People don't remember going to an expensive theme park or receiving an expensive gift." "It's doing simple things together—like going fishing, telling stories, or going for a car ride—that leave a lasting impression. Parents need to understand the most precious gift they give their children is their time."