Overshadow some of the crucial social values
We cannot deny the fact that materialism is becoming a new phenomenon rapidly across the world. No matter if you are a young kid or a family member, the fabric of materialism has influenced you, and consumerism and material culture are affecting every individual on planet Earth.
Highlighting materialism and its impact on children and families is essential for educators, society, and families as a whole to recognize in order to eradicate this phenomenon. It can overshadow some of the crucial social values in children’s lives and can lead to low self-esteem. Maintaining balance in children’s lives is important.
Excessive craving for material possessions
When it comes to materialistic pursuits, it should be noted that some students or young children view materialism as a way to gain validation and self-worth, believing that desirable things are a ticket to having more people around them.
Let’s analyze how materialism can interfere with children’s behavior and expectations. Nowadays, children have an excessive craving for material possessions, which is influenced by various social values, cultural waves, and factors such as peer pressure, parental guidance, and digital media platforms, including advertisements.
Materialistic outlook of society
No matter what category of content you are consuming from television, traditional media, or social media promotions, being bombarded with advertisements about fashion trends, the latest cassettes, and toys makes it quite hard to escape the materialistic outlook of society.
Materialism can be a phenomenon that we describe as having a mindset of valuing money and possessing all the highly regarded things in life. It can also be defined as having substantial materialistic possessions. This concept can be subjective, considering your family values, culture, and the region related to your country.
Natural inclination towards materialistic things
Analyzing the views from psychologists, we have discovered that various materialistic things start to take shape in younger children’s lives when they reach the age of 8 or 9. As they grow older, self-awareness begins to develop, and the comparison with other people may become the reason for struggles with self-esteem.
As they gradually reach adulthood, which is the late adolescence phase, they become more comfortable with their identities, and their natural inclination towards materialistic things starts to take shape.
Correlated with their happiness
If you are trying to connect the dots and have started to see a pattern in your children’s environment and their behavior, as it portrays some obsession with money and possessing high-value things, which is also correlated with their happiness, it is more likely that they are trying to follow a path of materialism to boost their self-esteem and confidence around the people they are hanging out with.
Apart from peer pressure, self-esteem, and confidence, some of the behavioral influences can also be highlighted from the parents’ attitude towards the materialistic world. The values of friends, family, educators, and peers can have a positive or arduous impact on children’s views regarding materialism.
Low self-esteem as these children connect
How can this phenomenon of mentalism impact your children? First of all, it will undermine their values. They might develop an obsession with materialistic possessions rather than meaningful relationships, fostering superficial values and experiences that are not based on norms and connections.
Stunting attachment to craving highly valued things, particularly materialistic items, can result in low self-esteem as these children connect their self-worth with their belongings, such as the costly phones they utilize and the expensive dresses they wear.
Environmental degradation, pollution
The children also showcase a lack of empathy and compassion towards the relationship, and their personal desires are always inclined towards materialistic values.
It’s not just about materialism; it is more about the overconsumption that is causing environmental degradation, pollution, depression, and much more. Today’s generation needs to understand how important it is to have a minimalist life where the presence of materialism is limited.
Materialistic ground?
How will you recognize that your children’s manifestation is reaching a materialistic ground? Whenever they need to complete some task, they always expect some kind of reward in the form of money or toys. They throw tantrums if they do not get the latest trendy gadgets, and they also keep comparing their parents with other children’s parents, as those parents are giving them whatever they need.
Recognize in your children
They are always trying to get new things: new toys, new clothes, new gadgets. They have various clothing, play toys, and everything is there, yet they claim that they do not have anything. They lose interest quickly after just playing sometimes with their toys. Can we factor in what you can recognize in your children if they are becoming materialistic individuals?
Saving, spending, and giving
What parents can do with their middle-class kids: first of all, whenever you are giving them a regular allowance, divide it into three categories: saving, spending, and giving. Engage with them in a conversation about financial gems and why they need to focus on saving and spending.
Discuss your family’s income and expenses quite openly with your children, and make sure that they learn money management at a young age. You also need to underscore the essential needs and wants, prioritizing having no flashy clothes.