Konsuming Kids
Posted by John Draper | Filed under Kids & Money
We live in a consumer-driven society. But do we, the world, spend like mad fools, or are North American’s an anomaly? Are the Brits spending more on TVs than we are? How about the Japanese? If you had to hazard a guess, which country in the world spend the most on recreation?
There’s a really neat site over at the New York Times that shows what people in various countries are spending their discretionary income on. I found it very interesting. See if you do too.
Very often when I meet a new family, one of the things we must come to terms with is what’s missing from life that is being filled by the driving urge to acquire. It’s not always easy to figure it out, and while you don’t often see me do this with couples – hey we only have 21 minutes on air – it’s an important part of the equation if you want to change behaviour.
The emptiness many people feel must be filled, and retailers have learned how. And now we’re teaching our kids how to replace Being with Having.
I was talking to a mom recently whose son is off at university for his first year. He’s a very talented artist and photographer, but sees no financial future in following his bliss. At 19, he’s already prioritizing Stuff over Fulfilment. Wow!
Studies show that, on average, we’re exposed to 3,000 ads per day everywhere from the obvious media sources like TV and radio, to the less obvious gas pumps and washroom stalls. Advertising is impossible to avoid. Companies are even looking at placing ads in space that will be visible from earth. I kid you not.
Industry spending on advertising to children doubled from a mere $100 million in 1990 to more than $2 billion in 2000. And one advertising executive has been quoted as saying, “We’re relying on the kid to pester the mom to buy the product, rather than going straight to the mom.”
Companies know they have a captive audience within the school environment. Anything done at school carries the implied endorsement of teachers and the system as a whole. So they’re find creative ways of putting their logo in front of kids wrapped in “educational content.” A Kraft “healthy eating” kit teaches about Canada’s Food Guide using Kraft products.
Contests and incentive programs are also becoming more popular. Pizza Hut has a reading incentive program in which children receive certificates for free pizza if they achieve a monthly reading goal. Yes it’s nice that Pizza Hut is stepping up to the plate and being a good corporate citizen, but they aren’t actually doing it out of the goodness of their hearts. They know if they win brand loyalty in kids early enough, they’ll own them for life. It’s marketing, plain and simple.
It’s your job as an aware parent to offset the barrage of messages your kids receive so that life for them doesn’t become about the Stuff. The most important step you can take is to walk the talk. Here are some other ideas:
- Challenge your children’s definition of “cool” by asking them how they feel about not owning something all the other kids have.
- Discuss how Stuff impacts on their sense of self. Would people like them more if they owned a certain item?? Would people like you more if your face, body, skin or hair looked different?? Does [this ad] make you feel that you’d be more popular if bought whatever the ad was selling?
- Encourage smart shopping by challenging advertisers’ claims about their products. Do your own blind taste tests at home. Point out how the packaging influences the desire to buy, and discuss whether what’s contained in the package is all that different from the less expensive alternative. Celebrate Buy Nothing Day at home and use it to talk about why we often buy things we don’t need, and how we can become smarter consumers and better savers.
- Put shopping into perspective by explaining that shopping isn’t a hobby or pastime. It’s something we do when we NEED to buy something. So we shop with a list, and we don’t buy anything that’s not on the list. And we shop with a budget, but we always look for ways to save, so we can put that money to work for us in our savings.
Most importantly, explain how much more important it is to EXPERIENCE than to HAVE. Don’t make up for the time you can’t spend with your kids because of work or school or whatever else is making demands on your life by buying them whatever CRAP they say they want. What kids really want is time with you, not more STUFF.?
October 6, 2008 at 10:00 am
This is such an amazing post Gail! I think the last paragraph should be made into posters for all parents who try to replace time and energy with stuff for their kids. I think the discussion points you raised are an incredible tool for parents-thanks!
October 6, 2008 at 10:48 am
This is so true Gail! I read a book about this recently called “Consumed:How Markets Corrupt Children, Infantilize Adults, and Swallow Citizens Whole” by Benjamin Barber. It was certainly eye opening and I kept nodding while reading the book (he does go off on tangents but the core message is bang on). It certainly has made me think twice when the urge to go shopping hits. We have been encouraged to become a country of consumers rather than citizens. He also mentions in the book what happens when people become exhausted trying to keep up with the consumer ideal – just read the papers, it is happening now.
October 6, 2008 at 11:50 am
Finally! New season! Thanks for the summary of what’s airing when – I’ve been meaning to ask but never got up the nerve.
I do enjoy shopping as an activity – the thing to realize is that it can be fun without buying a single thing. Cool little curiosities are fun to play with in the store… at home they’re just one more thing collecting dust.
October 6, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Great post Gail. I have been working on this with our children. Our 10 year old gets it, but our 6 year old still spends every cent she has available as soon as she gets a chance (she puts aside $1 per week of her allowance into savings but only because I insist). I am hoping as she gets a bit older and more mature, her impulse control will improve and she will understand that it’s just stuff.
Advertising really is something. Last week I heard a radio ad from the Bay advertising a big sale they were having, and in the ad the woman says “you deserve nice things”. I just shook my head. I guess that’s how they help people justify their purchases.
October 6, 2008 at 12:35 pm
“I was talking to a mom recently whose son is off at university for his first year. He’s a very talented artist and photographer, but sees no financial future in following his bliss. At 19, he’s already prioritizing Stuff over Fulfilment. Wow!”
Gail, I don’t quite get what’s so wrong with this approach. He’s may be right that there’s no financial future in this, and what’s wrong with getting an education and something to fall back on in case he decides to take a gamble on his artistry and fails? In fact, I bet if he did try to be an artist and failed, he’d be criticized for doing so without a backup or getting a ‘useless’ degree (personally, I think all degrees are useful but have different fiscal returns). Now I don’t know if he’s planning on doing this a backup or not, but the point is that we live in a capitalist society and he’s recognizing this early, nor does this mean he’ll never take a picture again in his life. Good for him, smart kid.
October 6, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Great post. I came across the excerpt below from the book “Debt is Slavery” by Michael Mihalik along the same lines. It is a lot more satisfying to be a creator than a consumer. It is an amazing to get full use out of things, to use them until they wear out. My little brother, a cancer survivor, did the cycling portion of an Ironman race on a $400 road bike. The guys with $10,000 bikes looked at him funny but he finished ahead of hundreds of them! It’s really not about the stuff at all, at all..
***
Be a creator, not a consumer.
Anyone can buy a $2,000 vintage Fender Stratocaster guitar, but can they play it?
Which is better, owning the most expensive tennis racket money can buy or winning the local tournament?
Instead of buying a $200 pair of basketball shoes, why not dedicated another 30 minutes a day to practicing ball-handling?
I am not saying that everyone should stop buying stuff. There’s nothing wrong with owning a $2,000 electric guitar. And not everybody will win the local tennis tournament.
But it’s much more satisfying to be a creator than a consumer. We should focus on improving our skills and abilities, not increasing our stack of possessions.
October 6, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Another terrific post, Gail. As a father, and economics teacher, I find this post (along with all the other ones!) very useful. Would you know of a source (website?) that I could use regarding more advertising statistics than the ones mentioned?
Thanks in advance, and see you tonight on the tube,
Blair
October 6, 2008 at 2:56 pm
A great book that discusses how advertisers target kids is “Made you Look” by Shari Graydon. It’s written for upper elementary students and I’m sure it would open a few eyes. It’s also Canadian, how cool is that? Take a look for it at your local library if you’re discussing this issue with your kids.
I bought it so I could use it in my job as a teacher as it has a section about how advertisers target that captive audience in their desks. I’m also thinking it will come in handy when my toddler starts asking for Disney paraphernalia.
October 6, 2008 at 3:38 pm
My timer is set for the new show!!!!
Kids are easy targets, I am constantly challenging my children to think for themselves after they are attracted to an item on TV, or when “all the other kids have one”.
I have a hard nosed approach to “stuff” for them. If they started peskering me, I ask them to put it on a wish list, and if they still want it by Christmas, then they can hope for it from a relative. And if they don’t get it for Christmas, they have the option to buy it with their own money (with my approval). Gifts “just because” don’t happen often around here…. the “just because” treats are hugs, going to the pool, their favourite dinner, and more EXPERIENCE things like that.
October 6, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Blair, you can check out the YTV website that has some interesting stuff. If you find more, let me know. g
October 7, 2008 at 10:32 am
LOved the show last night, Gail. Was stunned but laughed out loud with the “repeat after me” bit….
And I love the twist on the show!
October 7, 2008 at 11:39 am
Loved the new show … “dickwad” made me pause the PVR in order to laugh a while. But I’m hoping there’s not a season-long shift away from the nuts ‘n bolts money stuff toward challenges and relationships. Of course that’s the warm ‘n fuzzy stuff that makes it a story and not just a spreadsheet exercise, but I get a lot out of how the debt repayment and savings figures are achieved, and felt like the number-shifting was largely ignored once the jars were laid out.
Looking forward to the rest of the season!
October 7, 2008 at 11:59 am
What twist on the new show?? I agree with bigasssuperstar. Was rather disappointed with the season opener and the couple featured – there didn’t appear to be a whole heck of a lot of learning going on except how to build a pre-fab house. Oh well – I’m still a fan of Gail’s way, and will stay tuned for next week!
October 7, 2008 at 12:18 pm
I checked the site on the New York Times website- It surprised me that Canadians spend more money on alchol and tabacco than clothing and shoes. I shouldn’t have been though since I have a parent in my home daycare that comes to the door smoking everyday but asks to pay me next week because she didn’t save the money for payday…quite frustrating…maybe she should watch your show!!