The gifted child syndrome

In the society we live in, we are made to believe that the only way to show love to our children is through gifts. That is why, from a young age, we fill his room with toys and fulfill all his requests.

This results, according to studies, in frustrated children, with little imagination, who are comfortable and who, as adults, do not make an effort to have what they want. This “gifted child syndrome” is a problem for future generations.

Advertising, the media and the feeling of guilt of many parents for having to work all day are the perfect combination for children to ask, ask and ask. They want to have the most modern toys (which they then discard on the second day) and expect very expensive things for key dates, such as birthdays or Christmas.

This does not mean that you should not buy anything for children, because they deserve to play. (Take advantage while you can!), but as they always say, extremes are not good.

Children love to ride their bicycle, go with their ball to the park or have the largest dollhouse in the world. But it is also true that the little ones would love to share and enjoy these gifts with their parents.

Some time ago, the Ikea company carried out an advertising campaign where children could write a letter to the Three Wise Men to ask for gifts. The second part of this project was made up of responding to the question: What would you ask your parents for these holidays? In most cases, the answer was “spend more time with me” and not a latest model toy.

As parents, we must understand that toys do not replace us.

Do you remember the story of “Ricky Ricón”, the boy who even had a roller coaster at home but didn’t spend a minute with his father and that’s why he was always sad?

We parents run from here to there. First, we cross off all the obligations on the to-do list before being with our children and by the time everything is finished, the children are surely already asleep.

In addition to giving them gifts from time to time or for a special occasion, you also It’s good to spend time with them. The days, months and years fly by and before you know it, they will be leaving home. And you won’t be able to turn back time.

What is gifted child syndrome?

It is a trend that has been developing for some years, but more frequently in this 21st century. Its about bad habit of parents of showering their children with gifts to make up for not spending time with themfor working all day.

The consequences of this attitude are very negative for the little ones. For example, we could cite the lack of value towards the things they receive, whims, consumerism, selfishness, lack of imagination and enthusiasm and not being interested in anything in particular.

It makes no sense to give hundreds of toys to your children, because, for example, they will begin to give more importance to material things, when in reality, Children require more attention and time from parents.

The gifted child syndrome appears all year round, but is accentuated at certain times, such as Three Kings Day or Christmas.. To this, we must add the belief that “by behaving well all year round you will receive many gifts.” In reality, it doesn’t matter how they behaved, since they will still receive gifts. This causes a lack of credibility in adults and the beginning of a stage of debauchery, disobedience and few limits on the part of the children.

However, What happens when, due to an external problem, the child stops receiving gifts?

Many of them are plunged into a very great depression, not at all normal for someone of such a young age. The only way to teach our children to value what they have and what they receive is to stop giving them things. Perhaps this is a process to do together (because the parents are responsible for it too) and reduce the number of people present, for example.

This way, you will not be doing harm to your children, quite the opposite. You will train them for the future, for when they are adults and have to strive to have what they want. Because Things, no matter how much we look at the sky, do not fall like rain.