We are relatively strict parents and limit a lot of things that kids tend to brag about to each other. For instance, DD does not have a video game system, an iPod, a TV in her room, an Ipad, handheld gaming system, etc. She does not watch TV really at all (a few movies). She does not eat many treats or get junk in her lunch. Her allowance is small and she goes to bed early (by necessity--she wakes up super early no matter what and shr really needs her sleep). We also live on a pretty strict budget and don't "splash out" on "stuff" or trips or parties.
It has come to my attention recently that this leaves DD with nothing to "brag" about with other kids. This hasn't been a huge deal before because we run with similar people and DD's former school had similar demographics, but she is transferring to a more mainstream school, and these issues did come up this summer at camp.
I am pretty darn committed to these values, but I do find myself feeling some sympathy with DD when she talks about how other kids show off their iPads, brag about how they get to stay up late and watch whatever they want, go to Disneyworld all the time, etc. It's not that I have any plans to change our life so that we are like this, but I do realize this puts her out in the cold a little. She feels somewhat excluded and "odd" in some kid circles.
Thoughts? Can anyone empathize? I am trying to think of a few ways we can bend so she has some "kid currency," but am not sure what. We do have a Wii, but all we have on it is WiiFit (which she likes, but I doubt it's "cool" material). I am pretty laissez-faire on clothes and appearance, but her new school has a uniform, so that's kind of out. I was thinking of letting her dye her hair some weird color, something she has occasionally brought up. Or maybe she's ready to pierce her ears, which she's also asked to do (I hesitate only because I'm not sure she's ready to take care of pierced ears yet).
I guess some part of me is trying to come up with something she can say when the other kids are going "My mom and dad let me..."
I know that's a little silly!
It has come to my attention recently that this leaves DD with nothing to "brag" about with other kids. This hasn't been a huge deal before because we run with similar people and DD's former school had similar demographics, but she is transferring to a more mainstream school, and these issues did come up this summer at camp.
I am pretty darn committed to these values, but I do find myself feeling some sympathy with DD when she talks about how other kids show off their iPads, brag about how they get to stay up late and watch whatever they want, go to Disneyworld all the time, etc. It's not that I have any plans to change our life so that we are like this, but I do realize this puts her out in the cold a little. She feels somewhat excluded and "odd" in some kid circles.
Thoughts? Can anyone empathize? I am trying to think of a few ways we can bend so she has some "kid currency," but am not sure what. We do have a Wii, but all we have on it is WiiFit (which she likes, but I doubt it's "cool" material). I am pretty laissez-faire on clothes and appearance, but her new school has a uniform, so that's kind of out. I was thinking of letting her dye her hair some weird color, something she has occasionally brought up. Or maybe she's ready to pierce her ears, which she's also asked to do (I hesitate only because I'm not sure she's ready to take care of pierced ears yet).
I guess some part of me is trying to come up with something she can say when the other kids are going "My mom and dad let me..."