It's a Give Fest

This is the season and the time to give, give, give. Don’t miss the opportunity. Your teens already know what they want you and anybody else to buy them for Christmas. The most important question is do they know what they are going to give to others? It’s a mistake to allow teenagers to sit back and suck up gifts from others and not give.

You may not believe it, but this trend could last a lifetime. Moochers suck up everything others have and give nothing back. If you don’t believe me, ask parents with grown children, the horror stories are out there. The truth is, there’s a little bit of “mooch” in all of us. We all want to receive freely, and not give back.

The difference is responsible people know that they must give back in some kind of way; moochers have no such thoughts. While responsible people will look for ways to help others, and even the score on some level, moochers, feel they are entitled, and others are supposed to give to them.

Parents this won’t change.

Teens will continue to “mooch” and in fact fill entitled to “your stuff” well into adulthood. You must put a stop to the craziness immediately. Instead of being a financial prisoner to teens’ strong desire for “expensive” shoes, hairdos, and social life. Instead of just shelling out money to them, set a limit on how much you will pay for things. If their things cost more than your limit, they are always free to pay the amount that is more than what you want to pay or find something that is within your price range. This Christmas give a great gift, the gift of freedom for yourself, and the gift of reality to your teens.