As my kids grow older, shopping for them has turned into quite the adventure—though not always the fun kind. It’s like a double whammy: Either A. They know they want “things” but have no clue what those things are, or B. They want “things” that are totally off-limits in my book.
Take today for instance—my oldest, Jake, is hitting the big 1-0! After a whirlwind of activities leading up to this day, I finally managed to drag myself to the store to find a gift. Jake has let his dad, not me, know that he’s dreaming of a cell phone for his birthday.
Excuse me, what? That’s a hard pass from me.
Now, I’m not saying it’s outright crazy for every 10-year-old to have a phone. I can see how it might make sense if both parents worked outside the home or if the kid was often left to their own devices (pun intended). But that’s not our reality.
Since I work from home, I’m usually around when Jake is. If I take him somewhere, I’m there too. He has access to other gadgets, and honestly, the only reason he seems to want a phone at this point is for street cred—sorry kid, but if anyone’s going to have the fancy status symbol in this house, it’s going to be either my partner or me.
We don’t drive flashy cars, own a yacht, or even have a vacation home. Designer labels? Nope, not in my closet. And you know what? That’s perfectly fine with me. After all these years, I’ve learned that material things don’t hold much weight in the grand scheme of life. Now it’s my turn to pass on those lessons to my kids.
So, while Jake might be wishing for a phone this year, he’ll just have to wait. Sorry buddy! Happy Birthday—maybe next year!
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In conclusion, while my son might want a cell phone for his birthday, I’m setting boundaries to teach him about the real value of life beyond material possessions.