One mother confessed to being surprised when she received information from the school that her son often asks her friends for money to buy snacks, even though she had already given him money for the snack. So why does the boy still ask his friends for money?
Upon investigation, it turned out that when the mother gave her son pocket money, she did so with a warning. “Honey, you can buy anything, but it has to be with the money you have saved yourself,” the mother said every time she gave her son pocket money.
The mother’s intention was really good: to teach her son to plan wisely the use of her pocket money. However, she forgot that her son really wanted to buy things according to the rules set by the parents. However, on the other hand, the boy also had needs consistent with her childish instincts, such as buying snacks like his peers. To satisfy these needs, the boy resorted to asking his friends for money, which eventually became a problem for the parents.
How can this be addressed? It is best for parents not to mold their children into a robot that behaves according to what the parents want. Let our children be themselves, experiencing the desire for snacks with the money their parents give them. If they want something, like a toy, isn’t that still part of the parent’s responsibility?
In essence, children should be given the opportunity to be fully themselves, appropriate to their age. Do not force children to follow their parents’ wishes that are not in line with their development.