Ok, so I intentionally try to not boast about how awesome of a little guy my son is. Of course I think he's great because he's my little biological, psychological project LOL. But I also am aware that he is special to me because he is mine. You know those parents who go on and on about how special baby girl is because she's counting to 100 at age 3? Yeah, impressive but annoying.
So, your attention please! I am proud of Luke for being genuinely appreciative of things we give and do for him much of the time. Not all the time, but most of the time. Not bad for a five year old.
We have intentionally not given him everything he asks for. He's an only child and the youngest grandchild by 11 years. I am hellbent on him being NOT being spoiled by material things. It's not easy because we can afford to lavish him with more things and the instinct of parenting is to make your child happy. But we are looking to his future. Learning the meaning of no, making choices, and earning things is what will bring peace to him as a man. That $1 gadget in the checkout lane is momentary.
He keeps a mental tally of things he really wants. We give him opportunities to earn extra money to save for his list. After he's saved a chunk of cash we ask if he'd like to buy something. He's learned to prioritize in a 5 year old way and is thrilled once he gets his prize.
Today I happened upon a chance to buy a couple sets of Monster Legos used at a great price. I immediately set the sale up and met the lady twenty minutes away. Why? Because he's been patiently waiting for them since Christmas. He got one set from Santa and plays with it daily. I knew he would be genuinely thankful.
He hugged me so tightly this evening and has told me at least ten times how nice it was of me to do that for him. He makes my heart smile. Such a great little man.
Does he have a lot of toys? Yeah, we buy him toys and treats, but he has things he actually plays with. This is in line with our values and hope it serves him as well.'
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