The Christmas season is here!
Decorations are going up everywhere we look. Christmas music is now playing on the radio and many of you have starting baking your hearts out creating delicious treats for your families (and maybe a couple for yourself).
Now a few of you may already be done buying all the gifts you will be giving over the holidays but for the many who are still working on it, I want you to stop and take a moment to think about what you are giving the little people in your lives.
Did you know that the average child receives 70 toys a year, the average 10 year old has memorized 300-400 brands and by the age of 2, kids can recognize a specific brand on a store shelf?
If you watch the commercials that come on during your children’s (or grandchildren’s) TV shows, you will see that there has been a massive change with how toys are marketed to parents and children. The messages tell children that this toy is the MUST HAVE of the season and so our children are going to ask for it! There is a good chance they are asking Santa for it as well!
Now obviously we just want the best for the children in our life and we want them to be happy but have you ever thought about how overwhelming it can be on their brains to receive so many different toys or things in a short period of time!?
To much stuff leads to too many choices —– what should I play with first?!!?!
For example, I was at the grocery store yesterday looking for yogurt. It literally took me 10 minutes to decide what one because of the immense amount of options.
Now imagine a child trying to make the same decision!
The unfortunate thing is that when children are given many choices, they learn to undervalue them all and hold out for whatever elusive thing isn’t offered.
So this Christmas season, I want you to really think about what you are giving to the children in your life.
If you’re wondering which toys you SHOULD give to your children, download our free guide below: The Best Toys for Brain Development. Inside it will also discuss what toys you can get rid of to (because we all have some toys in our house we really don’t need).
Overall, I know if we understand the negative consequences of what giving copious gifts to children can do, perhaps this can help us not load up children with everything they want and everything they see their friends getting…
Happy shopping!
Dr. Sarah