As usual I am blogging at midnight, when everyone is asleep. Tut.
I’m sure every parent will agree with me when I say we all show off our little ones, we show off the new cute shoes we bought them or the pretty dress, or even their brand new toys, at least once or twice anyway, because obviously, we are proud parents and we like to show the world, how proud we are that we able to provide these things for our children.
But when does that “once in a while” showing off become a little too much? Become bragging and boasting?
Today I saw something shocking on twitter, bullying, bullying over material objects and a girl genuinly believe that material objects and material love make her a better parent than parents who don’t show off, who believe in real love over materiel love.
Although the person who started this bizarre twitter bullying doesn’t surprise me in the slightest, the ever so wonderful stalker. Ha, who would have guessed? *sarcasm*
I’m sat here quite content with the fact that my love for my daughter over shadows the material love for her. I’m content with knowing I’m not insecure to the point where I feel I have to show the world my full life over twitter and try to make other parents envy me.
When did parenting become a competition anyway?
There is no reward at the end of it, no medal, no prize money, just a life, a life that you should dedicate your full attention and love to in order for them to be happy and well adjusted. Buying you child’s love with gifts and holidays isn’t going to do either of you any good. It’s never going to teach them the real meaning of love or the worth of money, it’s simply going to teach them that material objects are better than love. It’s going to give them complexes and more than likely, future money issues.
So congratulations, your prize is your child never understanding love, real love.
I’m honestly not sure how anyone can think that buying their child a 5th bike then tweeting about it and boasting about it while you shove your child off to play alone is any better than a parent who’s child has one bike, who doesn’t spend the next 4 day boasting about it?
Can we take a step back and look at the big picture?
As long as your child is happy, loved and well then nothing else matters, not bikes, slides or the latest uggs, if your child is smiling and knows they are loved, then who the hell even cares about objects?!
Don’t get me wrong, spoil your child all you want, but do not think you are better than any other parent for doing so, do not sit there and boast about how many holidays you take your child on, because in the end, you look like a spoilt brat, and there is nothing worse than a spoilt brat raising a child.
The other day I took Alexandra to Toys R Us to spend the last of her birthday money, we spent over an hour in there, and she came out with nothing, because she didn’t want anything, she was content with what she already has. It made me so proud to realize this. It made me feel like I’d achieved something, and I saw that she knows the amount of love I have for her really does mean more than toys.
And with that, today we went to the park, guess how much it cost me? Nothing. (unless you’re going to count the £1.50 for an icecream) Alexandra came out of that park with the biggest smile on her face, again proving that possessions are absolutely nothing when it comes to children.
Look at that face, do you think she cares that that dress is over a year old and that she was wearing shoes from Primark? of course not!!