It’s never too soon to start learning about money, and parents should teach their kids how to save and spend wisely. Good financial knowledge early on in life is so important, as it can come in handy in many different situations. The only problem is if the parents themselves can’t agree on how to handle their money.
This is what a couple faced after their son asked for an expensive video game item as a Christmas gift. The mom put her foot down, but her husband sided with their kid and started an argument over it.
More info: Reddit
Saying no to buying something your child really wants can be difficult, but it can help teach them an important lesson about money
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The poster explained that her 10-year-old son liked playing League of Legends, and one day he asked if she would buy him an item from within the game world
Image credits: Mikhail Nilov / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Since Christmas was coming up, the poster felt that it would be okay to buy the video game item, but she was shocked when the boy asked for a game “skin” costing nearly $300
Image credits: Riot Games / Riot Games (not the actual photo)
She refused to buy the video game cosmetic because she felt it was too much money to spend on something that’s “essentially useless”
Image credits: RDNE Stock project / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Surprisingly, the poster’s husband got very angry with her for refusing to get the $250 item for their son
Image credits: Fortiche / Riot Games (not the actual photo)
The man called his wife “selfish and unreasonable” for not getting their son the League of Legends skin as a Christmas gift, even though the kid didn’t seem so let down by the refusal
Image credits: Alexander Mils / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
The woman later decided to let her son pick between the video game skin or physical gifts
Image credits: Few-Needleworker7044
The author’s son opted to get the actual gifts and said that he realized the game skin was way too expensive
The OP mentioned that she knew how much her son liked playing League of Legends, but that she was never okay with buying him something within the game. Since Christmas was coming up, she decided to make an exception until he mentioned how costly the item actually was. It seems like he didn’t realize the full financial implications of what he was asking for.
To understand how parents should handle money discussions with their kids, Bored Panda reached out to Sarah. She is a qualified EYFS primary school teacher, parenting blogger, and mum of three.
She manages ‘Arthurwears,’ a child development and family lifestyle blog, where she shares tried and tested ‘Learning Through Play’ activities, thoughts, and advice on parent and child wellbeing, and lifestyle recommendations for busy families.
Sarah said that “parents can help their children understand the value of money by involving them in conversations about spending and saving from a young age. Explain to children how some purchases offer long-term value (e.g., toys, clothes) while others, like virtual items in games or consumables, offer short-term enjoyment but no physical or lasting benefit.”
“Bring out some real-life examples of toys, games, or equipment from the home that the child has received in the past and still uses and enjoys. Compare this to a consumable item they can no longer touch or feel (such as a chocolate bar or sweets they were once given) and explain how one still brings value even now,” she added.
The poster’s son didn’t seem to be put off by her refusal and accepted her decision point-blank. On the other hand, her husband got extremely angry that she wasn’t okay with the $250 online purchase. He called his wife “selfish and unreasonable” for not getting the video game skin since it was almost Christmas time.
Just like this situation, sometimes couples can have differing views on how to spend and save money. Sarah mentioned that “if one parent views spending as a way to enhance a child’s happiness while the other values teaching restraint and responsibility, this can lead to frequent conflicts over purchases and confusion for children over which values they should be most respectful of.”
“If one parent is more lenient and often agrees to expensive purchases, it can undermine the other parent’s efforts to teach financial responsibility. This can lead to children learning inconsistent messages about money management. It can also cause tension and create an imbalance in parenting roles and authority within the family,” she added.
Image credits: The Yuri Arcurs Collection / Freepik (not the actual photo)
One of the best things to come out of the entire situation was that the woman’s son later agreed that his request was very expensive. He had wanted the video game skin in order to look cool, but he ultimately realized that he didn't want it that much and that it might even make him the target of bullying.
Sarah mentioned that “if children still request costly items, it can be helpful to set clear boundaries: Parents should make it clear exactly what they are willing or not willing to spend money on. For example, you might decide that only gifts for special occasions like birthdays or Christmas could include gaming items, but at a capped price.”
“You may agree to pay to download or buy certain games, but agree in advance that upgrades or extras such as ‘skins’ are not allowed. Encourage compromise by suggesting that your child contribute some of their own money or ask for the item as part of a collective gift from family members instead,” she added.
Despite how well things worked out with her son, the woman and her husband had a big conflict over money. He wanted her to spend the $250 and she felt that it was a very frivolous purchase. Ultimately, they couldn’t come to an agreement on the issue.
Sarah explained that “parents should discuss and align their values around money, what they consider essential versus non-essential spending. In this scenario, the disagreement between the parent and the spouse seems to stem from different perspectives on what constitutes a ‘reasonable’ expenditure.”
“Parents should also discuss how they want to introduce financial concepts to their children, including the importance of budgeting, saving, and distinguishing between needs and wants. Once these points have been discussed, it is really important that parents agree to stick to these rules, particularly in front of the children, to create a united front and a strong set of values,” she added.
It’s not always easy to say no to one’s kids, especially around the holidays, but it can help them make better financial decisions later on. The only important thing is that both parents should be on the same page about money matters, or else it will lead to a lot of conflicts.
People sided with the poster and said that her husband was the one being unreasonable by making such a big fuss out of things
