Kids Are Spoiled During The Holidays

Mom and Dad are at fault. So if your kids get bratty at the holidays  you’made them that way! Parenting and Today Moms surveyed more than 6,000 parents to find out how much they really spend on holiday gifts, if they feel pressure to buy everything their kids want, and how their kids respond to the onslaught of presents. Some of the findings:

• 3 out of 4 parents admit their kids are spoiled to some degree.
• 59% say their kids are more spoiled than they were as kids.
• Only 30% always require their kids to write thank-you notes.
• Parents plan to spend an average of $271 per child on gifts this year, with a surprising 1 in 8 spending between $300 and $400. Despite the tough times, 74% will spend the same amount or more than last year.
• Almost 76% of respondents confessed to feeling guilty about saying no to their kids, with 18% saying they’d ideally like to be able to give their kids everything they ask for.
• 46% of parents also admitted they feel some amount of pressure to keep up with their neighbors’ holiday haul.
• Almost 4 out of 5 families make an effort to something to counteract the commercialism of the holiday and teach kids the importance of giving back – 70% of parents donate gifts or money to those less fortunate, 16% volunteer as a family, and 36% encourage kids to spend their own money on gifts for others.